


Smoking Pipes

by Graelorian



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Dick Grayson Whump, Gen, Head Injury, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Injury, Pneumonia, Protective Batfamily (DCU)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:47:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29178957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graelorian/pseuds/Graelorian
Summary: During a record breaking storm, Dick decides to brave the elements to take down a drug group he’s been tracking for weeks. All of Bludhaven rests on his shoulders as he faces off against a new mysterious group and unexpected twists to his mission.
Comments: 20
Kudos: 120





	1. Chapter 1

The kettle was starting to boil on the stove, hopefully this time the tea would be at least somewhat close to Alfred’s and all its unattainable glory. Dick groaned as he got up from under his cocoon of blankets and braced against his apartment’s chilly air. Hopefully his second attempt at making tea would yield a decent cup.

He never makes tea, he’s horrible at it. But maybe a positive attitude would help him succeed. _Yeah, this would be a great cup of tea!_ He really needed it to be. The way his day was going, well really how his week was going, he just needed something comforting to give him a sense of normalcy that he craved. Alfred’s tea usually does just that.

It was the dead of winter in Bludhaven, and the weather clearly didn’t want anyone to forget it. It had been snowing for three days now, and basically everything had turned into snow. There was no more ‘Haven anymore, and Dick was starting to believe there was never a city underneath all the white in the first place. It had been a pretty steady, windy snow fall with almost record low temperatures since Monday, but today it had picked up and basically was a blizzard now.

The city and all the surrounding areas had prepped for it a couple days in advance, and everyone settled into their homes waiting to be shut-ins for the week. Bruce and the rest of the family tried to convince Dick to hunker down at the Manor and wait it all out. In retrospect he should have agreed, the loneliness was already getting to him and it was only Wednesday. He just didn’t want to leave his city - it needed him.

Dick wiggled back under his blankets on the couch with his freshly brewed tea. He took a tentative sip. _Okay so maybe not ‘Alfred-worthy’ tea, but maybe it was Jason-worthy?_ Dick set the cup down to let it cool off a bit longer. Maybe he should’ve listened to him family.

He was technically “working” even though he wasn’t at the precinct, so the city kinda did need him. He did put in a full day on Monday. All the detectives put their cases on hold to help with emergency response, traffic accidents, and road blockages. The whole of the BPD was on high alert until the city finally settled in early that night. After that most of the personnel were sent home for the week. They all gathered any case files they could work through from the comforts of their home, and were told to stay available in case anything changes. So technically he did need to stay in the city.

His ‘other’ job also needed him here, or so he thought. When Bruce initially suggested the week at home with the family, Dick insisted that the city would still need it’s vigilante. Bruce sounded unsure, but didn’t press the issue.

He was right. Dick hadn’t donned his uniform since the snow started, and there didn’t really seem to be a need to now. A city in hibernation didn’t need much watching over, not even criminals wanted to be out in what was being considered the worst snow storm in Bludhaven’s history. Also it was dangerous to fly when you couldn’t see more than a couple feet in front of you.

Not only did Dick’s reasons for staying stuck at home alone not really amount to much anymore, but he was also basically out of food. While he helped the city prepare for this nightmare week, he had neglected storm prepping for himself. He was living off the meager remains of his take-out left-overs, and the dwindling collection of non-perishables from the last time Alfred visited (or made him ‘monthly inspections’ as Tim called it.

“I’ll be fine,” he whispered to his tea as he took another sip. So, it wasn’t really Jason-worthy either...

 _No! Keep a positive attitude!_ Dick forced himself to take another sip, if anything he just needed it to warm him up from the lingering chill from Monday. Or maybe at least satisfy his hunger, so he can continue rationing out his food. He really can’t afford to lose all control of his will-power this early on. He really should’ve gone home.

Dick had tried calling his family earlier to see what they were up to, and to try and distract himself from his impatience and this caged-in feeling that was making him restless. They didn’t get a chance to talk for long before Alfred made Tim hang up for dinner. According to Tim they were having steak tonight, with some southern-style side dishes. Alfred even made banana pudding for dessert. The lucky ducks...

He had also talked to Barbara earlier in the day too. He would try calling her again, but she had hung up on him after a few hours working through one of his Nightwing cases saying that she had had her “Grayson quota” for the day. She would not appreciate another call that didn't have a point.

The case she had helped him with was at a standstill. It was some group that was new to ‘Haven. Dick wasn’t sure why they were headed here, but he caught wind of them a couple weeks ago. They were trying to move a large shipment of experimental, recreational drugs into his city. From the intel he gathered they wanted to distribute and set up shop right here under his nose.

They were originally going to be making the big move today, but that would clearly be on hold for the time being. Barbra had lended a listening ear as Dick tried to work through the case to figure out where they were coming from, and why here. After coming to multiple dead ends Barb ended their call, promising to keep an eye out for more intel from Gotham.

Dick took another sip. Who was he kidding, the tea was nasty. He’d have to try and find something to eat soon. That or call it a super early night and hope that sleep would get rid of all his problems.

Dick hummed as he tried to decide what to do. It was really too early to call it a night. He wouldn’t be able to settle if he tried. The growling stomach, the lack of human interaction, and his nose that was starting to leak would definitely keep him up. He didn’t really have any work he could do for his day job or his night job either. He couldn’t remember that last time he was this free, and didn’t have anything lingering over his head demanding his attention. He probably should be grateful, but he was too uncomfortable with the silence that was coming from every facet of his life. Maybe that was problematic, maybe he should be able to enjoy time like this.

Just as Dick began a decent into what would be a deep spiral of personal-introspection, a crisis of self he really wasn’t interested in exploring, a blessing broke through his thoughts. His computer dinged.

“Oh Thank You!” The speed at which he jumped up to see what emergency beacon went off was enough to send the bad cup of tea to the floor. It shattered as Dick ripped himself free of the blankets and scrambled to see his saving grace. The tea was no great loss, but the whole scene would’ve greatly disappointed the old butler.

As Dick rushed to get through his security protocols and enter the needed passwords his phone started ringing. Absentmindedly he reached out and answered as he kept his focus on what he hoped would be something good. He really needed it to be something good.

“Hello?”

“Dick, I just got a ping on the group you’ve been tracking. I’m working through it now. It looks like we were wrong; they’re making a move.” Dick relaxed back onto the couch as his own alert filled his computer screen, and he smiled. Babs was a gift. Man did he love her, always a step ahead. She continued to talk at break neck speed as he worked through the information on his own.

“I’m not sure how they plan on moving their merchandise, but it looks like it’s happening. Like tonight. Clearly their original plan from your earlier reports is still basically scrapped. The harbor is frozen over, and there’s no way a ship is headed out anytime soon.”

“Thanks Babs, I-“

“I’m not sure how they’ve managed to re-organize themselves this quickly. It doesn’t make sense and I don’t like it. The plan is definitely a go though. Their wire is flooded with communication. I can’t really decipher any new plans though. Only times and the green flag go ahead.”

“Babs.”

“It doesn’t make sense. The ships are out, the roads are closed, and there’s no visibility in the sky. There’s barely even any on the ground. It’s impossible to work in this. I would say it’s fake or a miscommunication, but its clearly not. Dick, I’m not even sure how you would go about acting on this new intel. I’m not ever sure it’s safe to try. We could pull Tim in and see if he can make any sense of this. Or maybe I could dig through some government reports and see if anything shows up. Honestly thinking this one might need to be let go for the time being though, there’s just no way-“

Dick sneezed. Green junk spewed out all over his hand. It was a surprising and vicious sneeze that was immediately followed by a full-blown leaky nose. Barbara had stopped rambling to listen. Dick could feel her gears shifting focus. She was about to change topics entirely and ask if he was okay, but Dick used her momentary pause to finally jump in. While he simultaneously grabbed a tissue.

“I’m not letting them slip through the cracks Babs, so don’t even suggest it. The whole point of tracking them this far in advance was to stop it all before it became a problem in the city. I want to stop these drug before they get to the streets. They must have found a different means of travel. I’m not sure what other way there could be, but it looks like I have an hour or so before they actually start moving so we’ve got to figure it out. I could just go hit the couple locations I scouted last week. I never confirmed connection between them and the group, but they’re the most likely options I gleaned from their encrypted data. I don’t want to miss them though, and chances are they’ll split the supply as soon as they enter the city.”

“We need a different angle then. There’s got to be something we’re missing. The snow has changed everything, and there really wasn’t that much time to start a multi-stepped plan that took weeks to plan over from scratch.”

I sniffled, “You’re right. I don’t know much about the group yet, but I don’t believe they’re this efficient and cohesive to completely change everything with such little communication. There must be something I missed... The only explanation is that they already had a backup plan ready to go.”

“Maybe it’s detailed out in some information you’ve tossed aside, info you didn’t deem important?” She was making a jab, Dick wasn’t as good at sorting through stacks of intel like Tim or she was.

“Babs, are you inferring that I would mistakenly toss out relevant data on a case? Defamation of my good character! You know B would have my head if I ever did such a heinous act.”

“Can’t fool me wonder-boy. It’s too late in the game to act all ‘by-the-books’, we both know you never listened to B long enough to hear that important lesson.” Dick started digging out some of his older case files and chuckled. She wasn’t wrong, there was definitely some bits of information that didn’t fit the rest of the puzzle he originally pieced together. He hadn’t scrapped it, but when he couldn’t make sense of it he had written it off as irrelevant communication.

Technically no information shared between any organization under bat-surveillance was supposed to be written off. But there were bound to be random messages over some simple day-to-day movements or recaps of older info already gathered. So, just like every bat, Dick had to learn how to shift through everything logically and put aside info that would just slow him down.

“I have a few reports that didn’t make sense. Maybe something is hidden in there. I didn’t share them earlier, but I’ve pulled them up on my computer. Can you see?”

“Duh.” Babs’ indignant response had Dick rolling his eyes as he wiped his nose again. Honestly he had stopped pretending Barbara didn’t have full access to all his technology whenever she wanted. She was probably already half way through the older reports before he even started speaking. “What’s this mention of ‘two pits’ from a week ago? Any relevance”

“I looked into that, they were referencing a warehouse on the corner of Second and Cherry St. It was a possible drop site, but it was too close to precinct 8 so they scrapped it.”

“There are multiple phrases like that one in here Dick... they keep using words that feel off.”

“Yeah, most of my information comes from communications like that. It’s their stab at trying to speak in code, it sucks. It’s a horrible method that could lead to multiple misunderstandings in my opinion, but somehow its working for them. Basically every word relates to whatever they’re actually talking about, it’s word association. So many of their code words could work in normal conversation though and can be completely unrelated to the drug move. So it’s a bit of a stab in the dark on whether or not a phrase actually has a second meaning.”

They kept on like that for another 20 minutes or so, shifting through wording or phrases that didn’t make any sense. Dick had already sorted through them all over the last couple of weeks. So, each new suggestion Barbra made as she read through some of the old correspondence, he had to explain and shoot down. He was about ready to call it quits. It was getting closer to the time they’d start getting to the city to make their shipment. He could still head out and at least check out some of their sites. Maybe he’d get lucky. He really wanted to catch the group before the whole shipment was moved. Chances are they’ll split it up as soon as they get here. He could maybe find some of it, but he’ll probably spend the next month cleaning the rest of it up off the streets.

“What about this ‘smoking pipe’? It’s mentioned a few times?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t find any correlation. It’s just what it says, they’re just taking about smoking. Pipes, cigars, and the rest.” Dick tried to sort through the little he had left and nervously glanced at the clock again. It was definitely time to call it and head out to try and salvage at least some of this case.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah Babs, it’s quitting time. I’m gonna suit up and head out, you can keep searching it you’d like.”

“Dick, I think you’re wrong.” Dick had already stood up to go get dressed, but he stopped and waited for Barbara to continue. “It’s only mentioned a few times, but I think they start abbreviating ‘smoking pipe’ to just SP. It’s continued to be used in similar contexts, so I’m fairly certain its actually just the same reference.”

“SP... I remember that. It came across as initials for a name for me. I tried to get a hit off it, but I wasn’t sure if it was real or fake. I lost the trail pretty quickly.”

“No, I don’t think it’s a name. It’s being used in a lot of different way through a lot of your files actually. I see how it comes across like some of these other code names, but something’s different about it. Also it looks like it’s always smoking pipe. Never a cigarette, a cigar, or anything else. So there must be another word association with it that were missing.”

It clicked. There was only one way to travel through ‘Haven right now without being touched by the snow. They weren’t talking about how they planned on relaxing after a day of work, they were planning another way in. Smoking pipes. Pipes.

“BABS! The pipes! The sewers! They’re going to use the sewers under the city. It’s the only place not effected by the storm!”

••••••••

Okay, so he was wrong. The sewers were not the only place not effected by the storm. Sure there wasn’t any snow, but the cold blizzard raging topside had very much effected the pipes below to Dick’s great disappointment.

Bludhaven’s sewers were not strategically built. It was more like the city was built up with no idea there was already a rotting and haphazard sewer system below. Entrances were randomly placed and were few and far between. The pipes didn’t line up with the streets either and had a less than intuitive lay out overall. It wasn’t really ideal for anything, and really just barely functioned for it’s main purpose.

Their age and clear dysfunction also meant the large main pipes Dick was walking through were not really insulated for the cold at all. So even though he was protected from the wind and an onset of icy flakes, the temperature was dangerously lower than it was up top. The water had also frozen over, and the service path he was walking on along the side of the pipes had plenty of icy patches to step over.

Dick hated the sewers. He was meant for the sky. His nighttime activities almost never required a descent under the city as even the most foul of Bludhaven criminals didn’t find much use for them. It had been a nice change from all the years trekking through the muck of Gotham’s perfectly organized sewer system after some crazed criminal. Many of Gotham’s more well-known evil residences had even set up an evil-lair down there on more then one occasion.

Babs had made quick work of deciphering more of their code once they knew the crux of the group’s backup plan. They hadn’t been able to pinpoint why they used ‘smoking’ as part of their code for using the sewers, but had settled on it being another reference to the drug load. While Dick prepped for the mission, she went over what else she could and still managed to give him a full blown lecture about being careful in these conditions, it was all done in record time. Babs finally hung after after she promised to be available if needed and that she would keep shifting through the group’s communications.

While she was safe and warm at home, Dick was currently freezing in foul smelling air. He was a little surprised he had actually gotten so cold so quickly, he had on his thermal suit! Well, he opted to leave the heavy-duty thermal one behind. He figured he wouldn’t be in the elements for long, and the other suit restricted a lot of movement, not ideal for battle. It was usually only pulled out for long stake outs in cold weather. Dick figured this mission would end in an all out fight, but now he was regretting his choice. He didn’t expect it to be so bad down here out of the wind and snow, but he was starting to have a hard time imagining anything worse than this. He should’ve grabbed the better thermal.

“Nightwing, check in.”

“Really Oracle, so soon? Did you miss the sound of my voice already? The tabloids are right, you must really have a thing for me, huh?”

“Har har. Update?” Dick smiled. He definitely appreciated a little more company on this case. The cold was starting to seep into his bones, so any distractions were welcome.

“Nothing yet. Haven’t seen or heard anything. The water down here is frozen, isn’t that crazy? You’d think that would cause problems for the city, but I’ve had running water all day.”

“It would dummy. I’m sure it’s just the surface that’s frozen, the water is probably still flowing underneath.” Dick stopped and walked closer the the edge of the sewer’s walkway. She was right. Now that he was standing right above the water it was clear that there was just a thin layer of ice on top. He could see the water below slowly flowing along. “The smaller pipes in the city buildings freezing would be the ones to actually cause problems, but they keep those more insulated so pretty boys like you can still have running water.”

“You call to compliment me or call me names? Cause I’m starting to get mixed signals.”

“Actually I called to tell you I can’t be your eyes in the sky anymore. Some personal demands are going to take me away from my tower.” That meant Commissioner Gordon was probably calling upon his daughter unexpectedly. That was really the only thing that could ever take Babs away from her work mid-case. “Wing, I’ve alerted Red Robin and Agent A of your position and briefly filled them in on the case. They should be able to help you with any information you might need.”

“Thanks O.”

“And Wing, please check in with them regularly. The storm is getting worse here in Gotham, half the city lost power a bit ago and generators aren’t kicking in like they should.”

“Anything similar here?” I had worried about power outages when the storm started a couple days ago, but so far it hadn’t seemed aggressive enough to cause any damages. It definitely was getting worse though.

“Not yet, but doesn’t mean it won’t. I don’t really like that you’re out... And I’m on to you and your sniffling nose.”

“Just allergies.” I assured in my most innocent voice.

“Mhmm, sure. Just be careful okay?”

“Yes M’am!” Babs left and just like that he was alone again in the cold sewer pipes. He hated the sewers.

••••••••••

He was walking down a pretty straight part of one of the main tunnels. Barbara and him looked over the most updated map of the sewers available to figure out the group’s most likely route. Even though their intel gave them a pretty good indication of where to go, the maps still made it difficult.

The city hadn’t updated any of them in years, so they were very out of date. They were probably not even correct when they were in date. Dick had already passed multiple off-shoots of the main tunnels that never seemed to exist on paper even though they looked old as time itself.

Dick was also definitely headed deeper under ground. He had been walking at a slight decline for the past 15 minutes or so. He wasn’t sure what the need for the pipes to head farther away from the surface would be... But he was sure that this would be the most likely path the group would be taking, as long as they could survive this cold.

Dick hadn’t been down here for that long, but he was certain it had already dropped more than 10 degrees since he left his apartment. It was moments like this he understood why Hood liked wearing a helmet, Dick needed to add a scarf or something the next time he did a re-design.

Suddenly his foot jutted out in front of him. He cursed as he scrambled to regain his footing. He had stopped watching where he was going and didn’t notice the large patch of ice he’d stepped right on. He froze once his terror-filled movements stilled, and he regained some dignity. He was glad no one was around to see that. Graysons don’t slip, and they definitely don’t fall.

He tentatively shuffled over the patch until he was back on the stable, un-frozen part of the sewer walk. It wasn’t like him to not be aware of his footing like that, especially on a mission. The cold must be making him sluggish, or maybe he really was catching something... No, probably just needed to get his blood pumping again. A light jog would help warm him up, and his suit would have some actual heat to insulate.

He picked up a light pace, being very aware of where he put his feet. He probably should call into the cave soon, and update them that he was still trying to locate the drug shipment. He was starting to worry that he’d been too late, or that maybe Babs and him had picked the wrong part of the sewer. He hadn’t seen a single sign that anyone had been down here in ages.

He stopped.

_Speak of the devils._

There were echos of voices comings from up ahead. Dick pulled out his escrima sticks, and flipped off his flashlight, stashing it in his utility belt. He’d have to rely on the very few service lights that were down here. Most were beyond dead, but some still flickered on.

He really wanted the element of surprise, and he wouldn’t be mad if he was able to do some surveillance first too. It wasn’t likely seeing as they were literally in a straight pipe, but Dick can dream. He much rather have the most information possible before confronting, it’s how he preferred to work.

As he closed in on the group, the voices started sticking out more. They definitely weren’t trying to be quiet. He figured there were about three men, at least the ones who had spoken since he first heard them. Three would be good. He could take three easy.

Dick slowed and lightened his steps as he started getting closer to their lights. He’d have to really pull out his inner-bat and keep to the shadows. He could make out most of the figures now, about five were up ahead. Okay sure, he could do five. Hopefully that would be all, he really didn’t want to drag more than five guys out of here.

He hoped he could just quickly subdue, gather the contraband, and usher the group back to the surface and into the nearest warm building to fully restrain and wait until cops could take over. Anymore than five would make that a much more difficult task.

“Hold up, here’s the spot I think,” the gruff voice called out and slowed the group. Dick also slowed, and carefully slinked forward to get a better idea of what was going on.

“It doesn’t matter. If we’re close, it’s good enough,” the guy near the front of the group responded. The leader perhaps? Dick couldn’t get a good look at any of them due to the poor lighting. They were definitely all wearing black. Large coats and thick hats, but all black. He needed to see some features to start making mental note of who this group was.

They all had stopped. One of the other guys stepped towards the middle of the group and swung a large bag off his shoulders. _The drugs._ Dick started scanning the group for the rest of the load, but was thrown off as the bag his the ground. It smacked loudly. But not like it should’ve. It made a loud metal clank.

“Careful!!” The gruff voice shouted, and a couple other guys also made sharp gasps and grunts in annoyance.

The bag clearly had something other than drugs in it. That or they were separated in nice little metal containers for storage. No, this was all wrong. It was the only bag in the group, and wasn’t near enough to match the very large shipment his intel had led him to inspect.

It still wasn’t great, but not really enough to warrant him leaving home in a literal blizzard. He could’ve found and busted a bag’s worth in like three days.

“It’s fine. They aren’t live yet.” Bag man dropped next to his load to unzip it. The rest of the group gathered near and obscured Dick’s line of sight.

“Whatever. Set it and lets move. We’re getting near the center and then we can split and finish this.” The maybe-leader said and made his way back to the front of the group. He kept walking away leaving the rest of them to mess with whatever came out of the bag.

There was some grumbling as they all watched Bag Man do whatever he was doing. Dick could hear a few complaints about the cold and wanting to get moving, but other than that he couldn’t make anything important.

He decided he needed to get in closer to figure out what was going. Surely they weren’t all shooting up in the middle of the gross, frozen sewers. Honestly, Dick didn’t think this was really about drugs anymore. He was having a hard time imagining what else it could be that the group has spent weeks planning to move into ‘Haven.

He needed to risk shortening the distance between them. Right as he made his first step towards them, they Bag Man stood back up.

“It’s done, lets catch up.” He swung the bag back over his shoulders, and they all started moving on.

They had left something behind.

Dick waited for a bit in his spot, nervous to make a sound and alert them to his presence. He wasn’t sure if they were keeping an eye on the not-drugs on the ground as they moved on. They clearly purposefully left it behind, but there wasn’t an obvious reason why that he could think of. It just looked like a box from his position.

Once he felt like they had gained enough distance and their lights were starting to fade a bit, he pulled back out his own light and carefully moved towards the shape. He would have to catch up to them in a bit. He’d gather whatever information this could give him and then run up and shut them down. Well maybe shut them down, if there were no drugs he wasn’t sure what illegal activity they were up to.

The box wasn’t actually metal. It was mostly wooden and the corners were reinforced with metal pieces. It had a slide off top, but Dick hesitated opening it. Maybe it was time to call the cave and check in. It had been about half-an-hour since Oracle had signed off, so it was probably about time.

“It’s not like you’re opening Pandora’s box.” There was no call for paranoia just yet. Dick let out a breath as he put his hand on the lid. He slowly slid it off, and peered in as it opened. He stared for a second, taking in its contents.

“Freakin Pandora’s Box.” He cursed. It was time to call the cave.

••••••••••

It was a bomb. It was a real live home-made bomb. Sitting right in front of him. In the sewers. Under his city. In the middle of a literal blizzard.

_What luck._

Dick was floored. This group had completely turned their plans upside down, and now Dick was just really lost. Were the back up plans not only to move under ground, but also to blow up the whole city in place of turning it into a new drug ring? How did this make sense?

Dick turned on his comm. He needed help. This was way bigger than he was prepared to handle. There’s no telling how many more bombs were in that guy’s bag. And there was no telling what Dick’s bomb was going to do, hopefully it wasn’t seconds from turning him into a nice cloud of pink snow.

“Nightwing to Cave. Could use an assist. In need of immediate response, priority alpha.” He didn’t want to scare them, but if Tim was just sitting back with his feet up dozing off over his chemistry kit Dick needed to shock him into action. This was no time for dilly-dallying as Alfred would say.

“Cave reading you, it’s Red Robin. Please inform.” Tim’s voice sounded mildly panicked and slightly out of breath. Dick could picture the mad scramble he must have made to get to the main computer. He smiled at the image, if he was going to explode in the near future he’d rather spend his last seconds thinking of his brothers.

“Red, lovely to hear from you. Sitting in front of a slight problem at the moment. Currently under ‘Haven staring at an aggressive looking home-made bomb. Will need an assist in defusing.”

A pause, clearly Dick’s response was not what Tim was expecting. “A bomb? What happened to the drug bust? O said you were on a drug case Wing, nothing dangerous... what happened to the drug case?”

“Unclear. I finally caught up with my group. There are eight men down here with what appears to be a whole bag of the lovely little bombs. They moved on after setting this first one up. I am unsure if I just missed my drug group entirely and just happened upon another group who also decided this would clearly be a lovely night to take a stroll through the sewers. Or if my group decided to wildly change their plans within the past 24 hours. Or perhaps there were never even drugs in the first place. Lots of options, but not really my main priority right now.”

“Crap. Okay, tell me what you can about the one you’ve got and then we’ll figure out the rest.”

Dick worked through explaining the inner workings of the explosive device to Tim. His little brother was generally better at the more mechanical and engineering side of the job. Well, he was generally better at most parts of the job. He was a little genius, and Dick honestly wasn’t sure how Bruce and him managed to get anything accomplished before him.

The bomb turned out not to be as crude as it looked. According to Tim it was a ‘wonderfully designed system’. Dick’s response to that was that ‘this was no time to be complimenting the enemy’.

It was a ‘three-tiered’ system according to Red. Meaning that one part was the actual bomb and would cause the main explosion. It would be small range on it’s own, but the other two parts functioned to amplify the ammunition of the blast. They would increase the radius and damage. Wonderful. It also wasn’t on a timer from what they could tell. Which didn't mean it couldn’t still go off at any second. It was waiting on a signal, which was most likely with the group that was continuing to increase the distance between them and Nightwing.

“I would recommend you go ahead and try disconnecting the amplifiers first, just as I explained. Getting rid of those would help protect the city above in case something goes wrong with defusing the main part.”

“Okay, first question, why are we concerned something could go wrong with defusing the main part? I don’t like the sound of your confidence Red, it almost sounds like you don’t have any.”

“Sorry... I don’t.”

“Well crap.” Dick stopped to take a breath. “Why not?”

“From what you’ve described it seems the only way to defuse will be to disconnect some of the wiring, but also from the parts they’ve used it sounds very unstable. Disconnecting would defuse it, but also the small change in currents might shock the system and cause it to go off anyway. My suggestion is to disconnect the amplifies and then just leave it. It will cause some damage, but nothing too much to the city above, I’m pretty sure.”

“Pretty sure?”

“Well, there’s no way to be certain. I can’t tell how big the main blast will be, and there’s no way to tell from here. I just know the other part will make it ten-times bigger, at least.”

“Red, I need more. I can’t work off pretty sure when there are people above me. So I’m going to need to completely defuse this bomb and soon so I can get to the others before they’re set up too. There’s got to be a way.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know as much about these types of systems. I’ve just contacted Hood though, he’s more familiar with them. I’ll fill him in with what I know, and hopefully he can get on his comm to help.”

Okay, Dick could work with that. Jason would help. He just need to wait a little bit longer and then they’d find an easier way to get rid of this ridiculous twist to his night sitting in front of him, and he could get a move on.

He started disconnecting the amplifiers as Tim had explained. This part was more familiar to him, and seemed similar to other bombs he had defused in the past. If something were to go wrong at least he could minimize damage.

“Goldie, I hear you’ve gotten yourself into yet another life-or-death situation.”

“Hood, perfect timing. I’ve got a bit of an explosive problem in front of me, thought it’d be right up your alley.” Dick slowly pulled out the amplifiers he had just finished disconnecting. Apart from the main component they were useless, but still, he’d rather they be far away from the device. He slid them across the ground as hard as he could. They skidded over the cement and then hit an icy patch that redirected them right onto the frozen sewer water. The amplifiers flew farther down the ice. They spun to a stop, sat for a second, and then the ice gave way and the device fell right into the water. Well that works too.

“I’m doing you a favor, don’t make me regret it with your ill-timed jokes.”

“My jokes are never ill-timed.” Dick chuckled, there was always time to push at Jason’s buttons.

“Red filled me in, how far have you gotten?”

“I’m ready to get started on the dangerous bit. I’ve completely disconnected and disposed of the amplifiers.”

“Okay, so there’s no way to defuse this next part with full certainty that it wont just go off. Red pretty much had it right; there’s not an easy solution, but I’ll walk you through it best I can.”

“Please be careful ‘Wing. I’m right here if you guys need me,” Red added his support.

“Quiet Replacement, no one needs you.” Dick could feel the eye roll from Tim as Jason shushed him, and they got to work.

They were correct, it was not as easy as just snipping the right wire and moving on. This device required twisting and pulling at just the right angles and at just the right time to disconnect each wire. And he’d better not bend or snip anything, cause that would break the connection and set it off without a moments notice.

Jason walked him through it step by step, while Tim kept up the support and encouragement Jay lacked. They made a nice little team. Dick wished Jason would join more of their missions, rather than just the ones where things went wrong. Well, technically nothing had truly gone wrong yet, so maybe they were entering a new era.

Dick pulled out the last wire. The incendiary device was now completely disconnected, they were pretty sure. He carefully probed his fingers around it to make sure nothing else was connected, and once he was sure he put his hands up.

“Success!” Dick grabbed his escrima sticks back up from where he set them aside and stood up. He took a tentative step back from the device and waited a second to see if he had jinxed himself at all. The device didn’t make a peep.

“Oh thank goodness.” Tim breathed out his relief.

“What now? If it safe to pick up and bring with me? I would love for you to look over it with me to see if we can gather any intel on whatever is going on with this group, Red.”

“NO.” Hood interrupted. “Leave it and get a move on Goldie. It is not a play toy, and it is definitely not safe for you to carry on your person, especially not when you’re about to go rough up bad guys.”

“I agree, just leave it for now and hopefully once this weather dies down we can send in a team to remove it with the right safety precautions. Also, if you catch up to the group before they activate the rest you can just bring those to me.”

Dick looked back down at the device and then looked around the sewer. He wished he could cover it or move it or something so it’s hidden and out of the way. Chances of someone else coming down here and finding it were probably next to none, but he’d still feel better knowing he wasn’t leaving a potentially dangerous bomb behind for someone to stumble upon.

“Alright, I’ll leave it. Thanks for the help, I’m going to-“ Dick turned to leave. He took a couple steps towards where his “drug” group had disappeared. He didn’t get to finish his sentence though. A small click sounded behind him, and then everything went dark.

••••••••••


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such lovely comments! I’m glad you’re enjoying to story so far. Here’s chapter 2!

“Nightwing, please respond. Nightwing! State your position! Are you reading us?”

Who was shouting at him? He couldn’t place the voice over the pounding of blood in his ears. It roared loudly now that he was sliding back into focus. There was also an awful ringing coming from somewhere. It was all too much for his head. His thoughts were all fuzzy, and his brain felt like it had turned to putty. He started drifting back out of focus. Everything seemed gray and numb. The yelling was getting softer and the pain in his head didn’t feel quite so imposing. Something inside told him that he needed to wake up, that it wasn’t the time to drift back into the comforting nothingness that called to him. Dick didn’t care, it was better this way. Just a little more sleep.

Someone was cursing. It was getting louder again. Everything was getting louder again. His head was spinning, and all the loud wasn’t helping. It sounded like Jason, which struck Dick as odd. His brother doesn’t usually just hang out with the family for fun. Dick wished he had picked a different time to get over himself and come home to visit though, a day when he wasn’t so tired.

“Wing respond. Please Nightwing, come in!” Dick wished they’d stop waking him up, but the panic in the voice seemed urgent. It actually sounded like Tim. If Tim was panicking, that would be something Dick should get out of bed and check on. Something was wrong though. He wasn’t lying on his bed. It felt like cold hard ground below him. And it was freezing. It wasn’t just the ground either, the air around him was cold and his whole body was shaking from it. It’s felt like it had made its way down to his very core and stolen every bit of warmth he had. Where did his blankets go? Wasn’t he bundled up under a mountain of them on his couch? Something was wrong.

Dick couldn’t figure out what. Maybe it wasn’t important and he could drift back off for a little bit longer. He must have just knocked all his blankets off onto the floor... he’d get them in a bit, just a few more minuets of sleep...

 _NO!_ No more sleep, Tim was panicking. Dick felt dread settle over him as the fear in his brother’s voice broke through the haze. He needed to get up and check on him and make sure he was okay. He tried to open his eyes, but his stomach was doing backflips. He took a slow breath as he tried to quiet the yelling coming from his body and from all the voices around him. The ringing and pounding in his head still threatened to take over, he wished it would just stop.

“Hood, his suit is still reading his vitals, they’re elevated but he’s alive. We need to send someone to his location.” _Oh, Tim is here._ Dick tried to focus on his words to help pull him out of the semi-conscious cloud that kept threatening to take over. He could hear Tim, but what he said didn’t make any sense. It felt like he was speaking a different language and it was grating on the headache that was still building behind his eyes.

“I’m going to have a difficult time getting to Bludhaven in this weather. Also I’m pretty far out. What about the Batmobile?”

“B is coming downstairs now, but I don’t think we’re going to have much success getting out of the cave...”

“Come on Goldie! Wake up!” Jason cursed again and screamed in his ear. Dick groaned, it hurt. Jason was being annoying and he wasn’t in the mood. His head throbbed too much for this. “That’s it, wake up! We can’t get to you, so you need to pull yourself together and stop being so dramatic!” He was trying! Dick felt anger pooling up in his gut, didn’t they get he was trying? He was cold and confused, and he didn’t want to wake up! He was supposed to be doing something though. Dick was sure he needed to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. The world was floaty and his thoughts kept disappearing before he could figure them out.

“What if he’s injured really badly Hood? We need to get there!” Tim was starting to sound more frantic. Dick tried to recall why they were panicking so much. He was supposed to be doing something. He strained and tried to remember what it was. He felt like he was about to be pulled back under again. The gray threatened to turn black, but the panic happening around him kept him from it. He was supposed to check on Tim! Yeah, that was it, he needed to check on his brother. Dick tried to sit up. He felt so groggy, but clearly he wasn’t going to get any rest until he checked on his brother.

The movement was a bad idea. His stomach flipped again, and suddenly he was leaning over on his side with the bad tea from earlier spilled out in front of him. Hadn’t he already spilled it once today? The smell was awful, much worse than it was when he brewed it. It made his stomach twist; he felt like puking. He looked at the mess beside him again. Wait. Had he already thrown up? Dick couldn’t remember and that set off an alarm in his head. He needed to check on Tim. He couldn’t remember what was going on, and everything hurt. Something must be really wrong, and he needed to check on Tim.

“Wing?” Tim’s voice sounded timid and worried. Dick blinked slowly and looked around. Where was he? Why was it so cold?

“Nnggg,” He tried to respond as he pulled himself into a seated position. He leaned against a wall that was beside him and looked down. Ah, he was in his Nightwing costume, so this was probably a mission-gone-wrong kind of situation.

“Oh my gosh Wing?” Tim breathed out a sigh of relief. Dick needed to check on him, he had been panicked earlier, right? He was supposed to do something about that, he just needed the energy. There was a scuffle coming from somewhere, it felt staticky in his ears.

“Report.” Was that Bruce? Good. Maybe he could clear up why his brothers were stressing so much. Maybe he could also tell him why his ears were ringing, and why he was so cold.

“Goldie got himself blown up.” Jason again, he sounded mad now. Dick had gotten himself blown up? He tried to remember... He was on a case and there was a blizzard, right? He needed to respond to his family and ask what was going on. He couldn’t open his mouth though, he was sure he’d throw up if he did. Everything was getting hazy again. Dick was drifting in and out a bit again, he wished it would stop. He tried to focus on what his family was saying, he needed to say something so he could get some answers.

“What do we know?” That was Bruce. He also sounded angry... or no, he sounded concerned. He always sounds angry when he’s worried.

“Hood and I heard the explosive device Nightwing had just finished disabling go off. We are unsure of his proximity to the blast or it’s radius. He is unresponsive. His suit’s vitals are elevated, but not at any dangerous levels. It sounds as though he’s thrown up and he has made some noises, but we have not been able to fully rouse him.”

Jason added something too, but he couldn’t make it out. In fact, they were all still talking and he couldn’t really hear them anymore. It was all mumbled together in his brain. He needed to get up. He needed to figure out what was going on. He groaned again as his insides did another flip.

“Chum?” Bruce. He heard that. That was not a Batman sound, that was a Bruce-is-being-a-doting-father sound. That was a rare sound. Dick’s eyes snapped open. He was lying on the ground. Hadn’t he just sat up? When did he lay back down? “Chum, can you hear us?”

Dick threw up. He felt a sense of déjà vu, like maybe he’d done this before. He felt a bit better after, still nauseous but not as threateningly so. He looked around and gathered his bearings as he sat back up. He was clearly in the sewers. He was on a mission it seemed too, or he was dressed for one at least. Judging by how cold he was he had probably been down here for awhile too.

“Okay Chum, take some slow deep breaths. You’re doing great, we’re going to fix this.” Dick’s eyebrows scrunched together at that. Something was off about the way B was taking. It didn’t sound normal, something must be wrong.

“He keeps throwing up... why won’t he answer?” Tim still sounded worried. Tim shouldn’t be worried. Dick was supposed to fix that.

“Sever concussion most likely, we’ll have to find someway to get there... Red go see if you can get the power diverted to the bay doors. We need to get the Batmobile out of the cave.” Dick was starting to feel clearer, hopefully. He was pretty sure he understood most of what Bruce just said. Well, it didn’t really make much sense but at least he could understand the words.

Dick was focusing on taking slow deep breaths, in through his nose out through his mouth, just like someone had instructed. He wasn’t sure who... Everything hurt and his brain was forcing its way out of his skull. His whole body was shaking and his stomach was starting to feel nauseous again, but at least he felt like he was finally tracking. That seemed good.

“Okay Goldie, good job. Keep breathing.” When did Jason get here? Dick was glad, it always made him feel better when his brother joined in on cases with them. Dick needed to figure out what case they were on though, something to do with drugs? Hopefully that didn’t mean he was on them, he felt something wrong inside him though. Maybe someone shot him up though, and that’s why he felt so foggy and sick.

“Chum, you to say something. Give me a sign that you hear us.” Dick felt too cold and dead in the head to talk, but Batman gave an order. He needed to listen. He needed to respond.

“I’m here.” Well that winded him. It took so much effort just to get out those two shaky words, and Dick’s stomach was doing flips again.

“Hey there Chum, glad you’re with us.” They sounded so relieved. Dick could hear Tim and Jason’s small sighs through the comms too. That was good, if they weren’t panicking maybe he could go back to sleep soon. No wait, he needed to keep waking up. He was in a sewer for some reason and he should get out. “Keep breathing slowly. We need a report on your condition.”

Dick tried to focus, a report? He felt like so much was wrong, way too much to cover when he could barely open his mouth without puking. He needed to though, it was important to fully inform every part of the situation on a case. Especially when calling in backup. It was protocol.

The good news was everything felt like it was starting to subside, at least he thought. The world wasn’t spinning as much as before at least. Dick put his hand up to his eyes, maybe he could rub out the rest of the haze and pain.

“Ah, ahaaa!!” He breathed in suddenly, gasping as white hot pain burned through his body.

“Wing?!”

“Nightwing Report.”

He held his breath. Everything was on fire. His whole body tensed, begging for the pain to go away. He wasn’t sure where it came from, it was everywhere all at once freezing him in place. He was scared to move, uncertain what might make it worse. He wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but sitting there in agony felt like an eternity.

“Nightwing! BREATH! That’s an order!”

He let out a shaky breath. He wasn’t sure why he was holding it, or what had happened. Where did all the pain come from so suddenly? His headache felt ten times worse, but at least he was still sitting up and aware of his surroundings.

His family was talking again, demanding a report. Dick wasn’t sure he could speak and wasn’t sure what to say if he could. He didn’t know what they wanted a report on anymore. He was sure they had told him, but he couldn’t recall it. He tried to take inventory.

He surveyed the sewer. He took in the frozen water. He looked down at his legs. He saw a gross mess of spilled tea beside him. He looked at his hands. Oh. They were red. _Not good._ He was alone in a tunnel underground, confused, cold, and now bleeding. _Great._

“There’s blood...” He could feel the tension from his family through the silence.

“Alright, what’s the situation? Where’s it coming from?”

“I dunno...” Dick was becoming increasingly aware of the gaps in his memory. He had clearly just found the source of the bleed, and now couldn’t even remember what happened. It had to have been the cause of all the pain from moments ago, but Dick was starting to forget that to. He scanned his body, but didn’t see any source. It must not be a heavy bleed wherever it was, because it should be easier to spot than this.

“Okay, hold tight Chum. We’ll get you out, just stay awake. Red Robin, any luck getting the power diverted?”

“Not yet B. It’s going to be difficult to switch over too. Why aren’t the cave doors already a part of the backup generator system?” Tim was getting mad. Maybe if Dick pulled himself together and could work up the energy to respond, Tim would relax again. He focused on taking slow deep breaths again as his family tried to work through their problems, Dick desperately tried to focus on listening to their conversation.

It sounded like they had a lot of problems. Clearly he was one of them, with his bloody hands, pounding head, and scattered thoughts. The cave also was having problems, apparently the snow had knocked out the power in over half of Gotham. Dick was pretty sure he knew that... The Manor was included in that, but fortunately it also runs off of its own off-the-grid-generators. Unfortunately, the cave doors were’t included in that limited system, Dick wasn’t sure why not and couldn’t catch the reason as it was told to Jason (who was unsuccessfully trying to turn his bike into a snow-mobile).

“Wing? We need an update. You still with us?” Tim’s voice cut Jason off, who had started talking and cursing more loudly in response to the cave problem. His family always sounded more angry and accusatory than they were during a legitimate crisis.

“Gettin’ better Red.” Okay that was a little easier to get out, and it wasn’t a lie either. Dick was starting to feel a lot better. The nausea had greatly abated and his thoughts were starting to line back up in a coherent way.

“Goldie, can you give us a report?

“Yea... ummm more alert now. Nausea has subsided, which was keeping me from responding I think. My head is throbbing still though; I’m dizzy and really tired. There’s blood coming from somewhere, but I think it has mostly stopped. Actually, it might be coming from my head, but I can’t touch it to see... I think I’ll pass out if I try. Also, I’m like really cold, like can’t stop shaking cold. Care to fill me in on what’s going on? I’m missing some pieces here.”

“Your drug group turned out to be more terrorist in nature. We are unsure how far ahead they’ve gotten and what their next goal it. You were caught in their bomb’s blast after trying to defuse it. We are unsure how long you lost consciousness, but it has taken multiple minuets to rouse you fully. You seem to be getting better, but our priority concerns are risk of TBI and hypothermia.”

“Okay, what’s the plan then B?” Dick was starting to feel another wave of nausea and dizziness. He closed his eyes again, but was grateful he was still tracking at least. The oblivion from earlier was a nice escape from the pain, but he felt safer knowing he could communicate with his family and observe his surroundings.

“We are working on a way out of the cave so we can make our way to you for a medical evac.”

“No, what’s the plan for the bomb-squad-wannabes who decided a blizzard was the perfect time to try out a new hobby?” The other side of the line stayed quiet. Dick waited for a response, but he already knew what was happening. They had decided to abort his mission, or at least decided that he would abort his mission.

“Umm, well... at the moment the main priority is getting you out via the Batmobile, and when Red Hood is able to get to Bludhaven he will be taking over.” Tim was hesitant with his response. Dick knew he wasn’t present for most of the planning part of their discussions, but he was awake enough to notice the white lie he was being fed.

“Thought Hood said he wasn’t able to get here?” Dick’s teeth were starting to chatter more and more. He couldn’t feel his nose anymore, and the rest of his limbs were following suit. He knew this shouldn’t be his priority right now. Alfred had recently started threatening to start teaching his own required “trainings” on the importance of life-over-missions, and Dick and the rest of the family had been trying their best to take it seriously for him. Right now though, Dick was getting worried for his city. There was no telling how many explosive devices there were and how much damage they would do.

“If Red Hood does not succeed I will handle it.” Bruce ended the discussion. Dick wanted to argue and say he could still help or something, but when B used that voice there was no arguing. Well there was usually some arguing, but at that moment another wave of nausea crashed over him.

“Humf.” That was all Dick could manage in response as he closed his eyes and took some more deliberate breaths. His indignation at their plan concerning his involvement was still fully relayed to the rest of the family by his tone, so at least he had that.

“Wing... Your pulse and blood pressure are starting to drop, which means your body temperature is getting too low. Or it could also be from loss of blood. We’re working on getting to you, but you need to start moving if you can. Ideally you need to get out of the sewer and find a way into a heated building until we get there. Do you think you’re able to stand?” Tim was right, it was getting quickly more dangerous for him to just sit here. The cold cement below him had sapped out all his warmth, and he would be well on his way to becoming hypothermic if he didn’t start warming up soon.

Moving would help. It would help raise his blood pressure, which would likely warm him up even though he probably wouldn’t actually feel any warmer. His suit would at least have some body heat to insulate.

“Is there a service entrance nearby?” Dick glanced around, but was starting to remember that it had actually been awhile since he’d seen one. He was also starting to remember that he had gotten to a strange part of the sewer too. A part that wasn’t really on any of the “updated” maps and had a very weird sort of decline to it.

“No...” Batman would need more than that. Dick was still trying to breath through the current round of nausea and pain, but B would need to know about the service-entrance-problem Dick had. “Actually B.” He paused to catch his breath. “There hasn’t been an exit.” Breath. “In awhile.”

“What?” Jason responded. He sounded frustrated, like Dick had just messed up all his plans or something.

“Well, if there hasn’t been one in awhile that probably means he’s coming up on one soon.” Tim assured Jay. “That’s good Wing, you won’t have to go far hopefully. We just need to get you up.”

 _Easier said than done Tim._ Dick took another audible slow breath. He knew Tim was right in theory, but his gut was telling him there would not be an exit anywhere farther into this part of the sewer. Going back would probably be the better option in getting out. That just felt exhausting though, it had be awhile since he passed the last way out and Dick was sure his throbbing head and shivering bones wouldn’t let him get that far.

“Do you think you can stand Nightwing?” Bruce cut into his wondering thoughts. Right, he needed to focus. He moaned as he pulled up one of his feet to try and get it underneath him. He braced against the wall with his hand, and then took a breather.

It already felt like too much. His head was spinning again from the small movement and shift in position, and his stomach was doing the flipping thing again. He felt dizzy and out of breath, so Dick closed his eyes and tried to will it all away.

He started to drift off immediately. He could hear his family trying to coax him up. Tim was saying encouraging words, and Dick figured they were still picturing him slowly getting himself up. With how heavy and quick his breathing was, he wasn’t surprised they didn’t realize he had already stopped for a break. Someone was even murmuring in the background, probably Alfred or someone had come down to the cave to show support.

Dick’s eyes snapped open. He held his breath.

His family was still talking. Their tones shifted from encouragement to worry again once they heard his small gasp. The murmuring sound wasn’t coming from over his comm. It wasn’t Alfred in the background. He realized he’s actually been hearing the small noises for awhile now, and they were getting louder.

“Nightwing report. Are you up?” Dick didn’t answer Bruce. He held his breath as he listened. It was definitely voices... coming from down the sewers.

Tim and Jason had started talking loudly at him as soon as they realized he wasn’t answering again.

“Shhhhh.” Dick whispered harshly back over his comm, trying to get his brothers to shut up. He couldn’t hear the noises from down the pipes over their worry or his own breathlessness.

“Nightwing?” Bruce asked after a second of silence.

“The bombers.” He hissed, “They’re back.”

••••••••••

Dick’s eyes were closed. He was slumped against the sewer wall trying to slow his heaving chest and keep the threatening nausea at bay again. The voices had gotten very loud by this point, and the men would probably stumble upon him any second. Luckily it only sounded like two had come back to check out what had happened.

When Dick had finally processed that a couple of his drug group were coming back, his family about exploded. Which as frustrating as it was to have three of his family of vigilantes talking simultaneously in his ear, he understood their concern. Nightwing hadn’t been fully conscious for that long and hadn’t even proved he could stand yet, and now two of the bad guys were back and probably ready for a vicious beat down for messing up their plans. It was not great timing.

Dick was sure that his family had multiple wonderful ideas of how to handle the situation, and he would’ve listened to them (he really would have) if he could only hear them. The pounding and ringing in his ears had gotten so loud it was basically drowning out his own family. He could hear their words, but couldn’t mentally process them over the noise. The adrenaline spike he was experiencing had cut him off from his only means of support.

Luckily, along with sending his body into a physical state of noise and pain, the adrenaline spike also woke him up enough for his own mental alertness to finally kick back into gear. He was sure his current plan was not the best, but he knew at the moment winning at hand-to-hand combat was less than unlikely. The odds would probably be non-existent. So instead, Dick had opted for a surprise tactic. One he was sure he looked bad enough to pull off.

His escrima sticks were, _thankfully_ , in arms reach from where he landed in the explosion. He had them placed loosely in both hands, and tried his best to recreate how he must have looked immediately following the blast. This would all only work out if both men got in close enough range to him. He was hoping he looked dead, or at least ghostly pale and still. It was at this moment he wished he was covered in more of his blood; those injuries tended to look more serious.

The two men were on top him now. They had stopped talking a while ago, but Dick could hear their footsteps as they got closer. He also could tell when they spotted him by how their pace changed. They were both standing right above him.

“Is this one of those birds we heard about?” The roaring in his ears, the pounding of his heart, and even the twisting nausea in his gut all fell away as he heard the man speak. Dick was faintly aware of someone in his family whispering harshly in his ear. He couldn’t pay attention to them now, he had to be ready.

“Looks like it... not very good if he got himself killed this quickly.” The man squatted down and put his fingers on Dick’s neck to feel his pulse. That’s all he needed.

“How’d he even know we were down her-“ Dick opened his eyes and gripped his escrima sticks tightly as he flung them out. He knew exactly where the guy on top of him was, and didn’t even look as he jabbed the stick right into the man’s chest, stunning him instantly.

As the first guy was still in mid-shock, Dick’s other hand was already coming up in a large curve towards the second guy. He was farther away than Dick estimated, and had just barely enough room to jump back out of the way, yelling.

The thug reached for his waist as he continued to step back. Grabbing at some weapon most likely stashed away, but Dick was faster. He kept the momentum of his swing up over his head into a back arch. Then he swung forward hard and released his escrima.

Dick realized as he let go that he couldn’t even see his target anymore. His vision had gone black from the rushedand sudden movement, but his body knew the drill. He heard it hit its mark. The man thudded hard on the sewer ground, and Dick heard ice crack as he scrambled forward towards the man.

The first guy had dropped at some point and Dick jerked his remaining escrima away from him and towards his newly fallen target. He just needed one good shock in to knock the guy out. He flung his tool down hard to where he assumed the man was laying. His movement felt wild and panicked, but Dick felt soft tissue bend beneath the force of his hit. Relief flooded his system, and he let out a long electric shock. He was lucky the man hadn’t rolled out of the way.

He did it. Both men were down and Dick was somehow still alive. He stayed still, sprawled out between both his fallen drug guys. It had not been the most elegant of take downs, but it worked. The exhaustion, cold, and pain rushed back into his body immediately. It had come back ten-fold. His vision stayed black, but somehow he could still tell that the sewer was currently turning upside down. He wasn’t sure how he knew that when he couldn’t even see the sewer anymore, and he didn’t get a chance to figure it out before his mind blacked out too.

“Wing? You there? What happened?” Tim’s tentative voice brought Dick back to the surface. He was still laying on the cold cement ground. _Again?_ He must not have been out for long, but he felt like ages had past.

“Nightwing, report.” Bruce sounded mad again. Dick opened his eyes. He was staring right into the dirty cement ground his face was pressed up against. He wasn’t sure he should move. His head throbbed. He must have let it hit the ground when he flung himself forward. Even just a tap felt like it would be a death sentence.

“Mmmhm.” That was his best. He could only hope it would be enough for his family. He was on the verge of throwing up again. Even just another small noise might do him in.

“Goldie. Did you get ‘em?” Dick thought for a second. He did, right? He wasn’t sure. He’d have to check. He’d have to move and check and confirm that they were out, but instead he really just wanted to make everything stop. He wouldn’t be able to move, he was sure of it.

He opened his eyes again, unsure of when he closed them. He tried to pull his arms underneath him to help support him as he lifted his head. He was right: he lost another meal. Dick wasn’t sure which one this was, but he was sure this was a good indicator of a worsening head injury. That or the fact the his left eye had gone all blurry... his pupil was probably blown.

“Yeahhh.” His response slurred out of his mouth. Everything was hazy again. Dick hated it, but at least he could see the first guy laid out behind him and the second was flat on his back slightly hanging off the walkway onto the ice of the water. It was a good thing he didn’t fall in, Dick knew he would not have been able to recover fast enough to save him from a frozen watery grave.

His second escrima stick did not get so lucky. It must have been what made the ice crack earlier, because there was a stick-sized hole in the ice and no escrima. He signed, he hated replacing equipment.

“How many were there?”

“Juss two.” Dick closed his eyes again. Everything felt and sounded soupy, his words were blending together and his vision was flowing in and out of focusing. “S’cold.”

“Nightwing, we’re concerned about hypothermia and your head injury. There are also the other three men still down there somewhere. We need you to get up and leave the sewer. Up. Now.” Bruce was being Batman. He was right, Dick was also very concerned about those things.

He sat up, which went surprisingly better than he thought it would. Guess he was getting used to the pain, nausea, and dizziness. Dick looked at the two men he’d knock out. Normally he’d restrain them, but he wasn’t sure he had the energy for that. They were wearing more layers than him, but Dick was also worried about them dying from the cold. That would be against the code.

“Wha ‘bout my guys?”

“Forget about them Goldie! Get up!” Jason was sounding angry too. His family was getting more stressed and worried, he could tell. He ignored them though and crawled over towards the guy by the ice. Dick gripped him as hard as he could and pulled.

It took awhile, but Dick was able to drag the man on top of the other. It wouldn’t be much, but he was hopeful that their shared body heat would keep them alive. It hadn’t been a far distance between the two men, but it had worn him out even more.

His family had quickly given up on convincing him to leave them, and had moved on to just rushing him. Soon he was standing up leaning against the sewer wall. He gripped his remaining escrima in one hand and slowly started his journey further down into the sewer.

“GOT IT!” Tim yelled in his ear, it made Dick stumble and stop. He hadn’t been walking for very long yet.

“Wha?” The word came out breathless. As much as his body was craving oxygen, he was having a hard time breathing. It had slowed and shallowed drastically, which Dick knew was a sure sign of hypothermia setting in. Well, he also hadn’t been shivering for awhile either, which was probably the more convincing sign.

“Keep going Nightwing.” Jason growled. _How did he know I stopped?_ Dick just wanted a break already, but so far his family had not been accommodating and kept pressing him forward every couple of seconds.

“The cave doors! I got them re-wired to account for the system change. Now I just have to boot back up the generators and... they’re open! Wing! We’re coming!” Tim sounded so relieved.

“Nightwing, our ETA is still about 40 minutes out, and that’s optimistic without also accounting for weather. You still need to try and get to an exit.” Bruce was always so blunt and honest. Dick almost wished they had lied to him at this point. That was such a long time to wait, especially when they wanted him to keep walking during it. Bruce should’ve just told him they’d be here in a couple minutes, that’s would’ve been nicer to hear.

“Keep goin’?” He felt like a little kid. With his slow slurring speech begging to give up.

“Yes Chum, keep going.”

“I deserve.” _Breath._ “A family night.” Dick started forward again, “for this.”

“Tsk, over my dead body.” Jason replied.

“Again, J-bird?” Dick to another slow breath in. “Thought you were done - with that - phase.” Jason growled at Dick’s jab.

“Well, you set yourself up for that one Hood.” Tim chimed in. Dick could tell they were already on the road. He could hear the growl of the Batmobile’s motor. “Wing, B and I are signing off for a bit. We’re on our way, but Red Hood is going to keep you company until we can get to ‘Haven and find you. B needs to drive, and I’m still trying to locate your exact position and the quickest way to get to you. Keep us in the loop if anything happens. Signing off.”

“Looks like it’s just you and me Goldie. You can think of me as you’re drill-sergeant from hell. Keep moving.”

••••••••••


	3. Chapter 3

Dick woke with a start. He had fallen asleep again, or at least that was how he was choosing to see it. He was pretty sure he was just passing out from the combination of getting blown up and slowly freezing to death. Or maybe he was just blacking out? He was still standing, if you could call it that. He was heavily pressed against the sewer wall, leaning forward in a very unnatural way. As though his body was just waiting for the green light to drop forward and collapse. He took another awkward shuffle step forward, and continued down the pipes. His body must be continuing on pure instinct from all the years of training, because he felt like death. Or maybe it was just from learning to follow Batman’s orders no matter what, because he was pretty sure he shouldn’t be able to move at this point.

His left eye was all but useless by now, so he wasn’t really taking in his surroundings like he should. He was sure his pupils looked ridiculously uneven at this point with how blurry his vision in that eye was. His headache hadn’t alleviated at all either, and it was also getting worse he was pretty sure. His head injury had become greatly concerning.

His movement had become more and more sluggish from the cold, but it had at least helped stop the bleeding from his head. His breathing was also still just as bad as it had been when he started out twenty minutes ago. The pressure in his chest was heavy and his nose had gotten so stuffed that he could only breath from his mouth. He was letting out loud desperate gasps as he tried to inhale every few seconds. His lungs were at odds, both wanting to slow down from the cold and speed up from the amount of effort he was exerting by moving. His body craved oxygen, but he couldn’t get enough.

Speaking had become an impossible feat at this point, so Jason had settled into annoyingly talking non-stop to keep Dick moving and awake. Which Dick was sure could be helpful if it wasn’t so painful to his brain. He really just wanted silence as he tried to find his way out, but also somewhere in the back of his head he recognized how sweet it was to listen to Jason ramble like he did when he was a kid. He had been going on about some book he was currently reading and the commentary it made on society, the environment, communism, militaristic governments, etc... or something like that. And Dick could’ve sworn he said something else about rabbits, but that was probably him descending into some hallucination-like state.

Honestly, Dick wasn’t following it all. It was nice to know Jay still read in his free time though, Dick usually just envisioned him brooding on roof tops when he wasn’t beating up thugs.

“D?” Oh yeah, that’s why he woke up again. Jason had asked him a question. “You got to grunt or something man, just so I know you’re still awake and moving. Your ugly rattling breathing isn’t enough for me to know you’re not a dead frozen Wing-sicle yet.”

“Shud-up.” Dick wheezed out. Jay had been hounding him since Tim and Bruce set out. He kept having to give updates about his condition, and Jason wouldn’t let him take a break. He had to keep moving. It was all getting to be too much.

“There he is! Any sign of an exit yet?”

“No...” Dick whined a bit. He felt like he would be allowed to quit as soon as he found one. It was just plain rude that the sewers were holding back and doing him dirty like this. He just needed one door or ladder. A man-hole cover would be nice too, anything really would do. He just needed to sit.

“Well you’ve been walking for awhile... but I don’t think you’ve covered that much distance at your incompetently slow pace. So keep going. Pick it up too, cause your body temp is dropping again.” Jason paused for a second and switched his tone, “I’m sure you’re getting close to one like Red said... just keep going Dickie-bird. Anyway, as I was saying, my re-read was definitely helpful in seeing more of the subtle analogies Adams snuck in, whether consciously or not.”

Jason continued on with whatever analysis he was making, but Dick was losing his own consciousness again. He didn’t realize he had stopped walking until he found himself sliding down the wall to the ground. He startled awake again, but the shock of realizing he was collapsing threw him off balance. He gasped and stumbled, his legs trying to over-correct while the rest of his body didn’t follow suit.

He fell on his knees hard and continued to fall forward. Thankful his arms flew up and protected his head from smacking the cement ground, that probably would’ve been the last straw. The jerking movement rattled his insides, and everything that had settled was rolling around again. Dick felt queasy and was one wrong breath from losing his stomach again.

“Goldie?” Dick groaned. He had no idea how he was going to get back up. His vision was going in and out, and Jason’s voice sounded faint and far away. He puked. The lights went out.

Dick was sure he had just been out for only a second after throwing up, but it was clear it had been a lot longer this time. Jason was still talking, but not to him and not about his book. Dick tried to focus on his words to help bring him back to the present. It sounded like he was recounting Dick’s failed mission to someone. _Rude._ Dick didn’t need everyone to know what a mess today had turned into, Jay could at least pretend not to flaunt around his failures.

“You idiots. I can’t ever leave you alone, can I?” That was Babs! For as awful as he felt, Dick wanted to smile. It was his Babs. She’d fix this mess, she could do anything.

“Oh shut up, this would’ve happened whether you were here or not. B and Red are on their way. They’ve hit a couple road blocks so it’s taking them a little longer, but they’re getting closer. Still trying to pinpoint his location though.”

“And Nightwing is still down?” _Oh, I’m down?_ Dick opened his eyes. It really only felt like it had been a second, but clearly he had missed Barbara coming back to the action and missed at what point he had ended up sprawled out on the ground.

“Hasn’t made a peep for about five minutes now, but Red said his suit’s monitors are still showing decent life signs. His vitals are okay compared to what they could be.”

“What do we know?”

“Sever concussion for sure. Difficulty focusing and staying conscious, this isn’t the first time he’s gone radio-silent. We don’t think he’s always even aware that he keeps fading out. We believe he has some form of head laceration too, but not seriously bleeding as far as we know. Definitely mild to moderate hypothermia, his core temperature is still too low but isn’t currently dropping. And I think signs of pneumonia based on how trash his breathing sounds.” Dick considered that as he slowly raised himself back up into a seated position. That would make sense. His breathing sounded like a broken paper shredder trying to eat a baby-rattlesnake. Pneumonia would be a likely explanation.

“And you?”

“I’m stuck unfortunately. There’s no way I’m getting out in this blizzard. The Batmobile is the only thing we have able to handle this kind of weather.”

“I’m so stupid, this is all my fault.” Dick was shocked, how dare she! He couldn’t believe she would try to take the fall for this while he’s literally down for the count and unable to correct her. There was no way he was letting her get away with saying such a dumb thing. Babs was too smart for that, so Dick figured he would just have to get over the whole not-being-able-to-breath-thing and stop her.

“Dang Oracle, you weren’t even here for most of this, but if you want to take the fall it’s all yours. I’m out of this mess as soon as I’m not needed.”

“I should’ve finished decoding the phrases before Nightwing set out, or at least before I ditched him. I could have seen this coming and prevented it if I just did my job.”

“Don’t think so highly of yourself, you’re not that good. Don’t know how you would’ve known Goldie’s drug case was actually just a terrorist attack.”

“Because it’s right here in front of me Hood. The phrase ‘Smoking Pipes’. We only figured out the second part about the sewers, I didn’t even try to figure out why they were smoking! It was almost completely literal, it’s so obvious! I’m looking through all our notes... I’m so dumb. This wasn’t a backup plan for bad weather, this was just an entirely separate plan they had in the works. Unrelated as far as I can tell. It’s so obvious now, I shouldn’t have missed this. Nightwing wouldn’t have gone in blind if I had finished decoding the phrase like I should have, it’s my fault.”

“No. Babs it’s - not your - fault.” Dick almost fell back to the ground as he said it, but he managed to catch himself. His breathing had gotten so ragged, but he was tired of hearing Barbara belittle herself.

“Nightwing!”

“Eyyy Goldie! Should’ve known the sound of your girl’s voice would bring you back to the land of the living. Time to get up man, keep moving.” Dick died a little inside and started out again, somehow even more slowly than before.

“Wing, I am so sorry! I should’ve figured this all out, you’re going to be okay though. Batman and Red Robin are getting closer, and I’m helping them figure out what part of the sewer you’re in. Your tracker isn’t functioning because of how deep underground you are, but we’re figuring it out. How are you doing?”

“Peachy. Babs. I-“ Dick broke off into a coughing fit. His lungs burned as he hacked up something disgusting and green. Wonderful. He was definitely sick with something, and it hadn’t taken long for an infection to set in. On top of the hypothermia and head injury no less. Dick was having just a great Wednesday.

He finally came back up for air as the coughing subsided. He couldn’t remember what he was trying to say to Barbara, hopefully it wasn’t too important. The jerking of his body trying to dispel all his organs had rattled and aggravated his head again. Didn’t take much. Dick felt like he was fading.

“Wing? You still alive?” Jason asked slowly. His tone had switched back to ‘genuinely concerned brother’.

“Yea J...” Dick had stopped moving forward once he started coughing and was now sliding back to the cold sewer ground, “jus’ can’t breath.”

“I knew you were getting sick...” Barbara said to herself under her breath. “Nightwing, your suit’s vitals are showing that your O2 levels just took a major dip. They’re getting too low. Just sit down, okay? No more walking.” _Oh thank goodness._

“But...gotta keep...warm?”

“I’m sorry Nightwing, but you need to focus on breathing. Walking any more will burn through what little oxygen you’re body is getting. I think you’ll collapse and completely lose consciousness trying, and we need you to stay awake. So, I am so sorry but you’re just going to have to be cold until B and Red get to you.”

That definitely sucked. Dick was aware that the walking had been helping. Not only was it forcing him to stay present and conscious (kind of), but it had definitely helped get his blood flowing. He was still clearly freezing, but it had put off the onset of hypothermia for sure. His body was spent though, there was no way it would be able to hold off the cold for very long if he was just sitting here. He was on the verge of completely shutting down, it wouldn’t be long no matter how hard he tried to stay awake. Barbara and Jason must know that, so hopeful it meant that B and Tim were actually really close.

He had learned plenty about hypothermia and it’s effects being raised by Batman, but this was probably the most he had ever experienced it. Sure, he had gotten into plenty of tight spots as Robin and definitely as Nightwing, but this was different. He had stopped shivering forever ago and could barely move or feel his fingers and toes. Hopefully his family would come before he crossed into the next level, which generally rendered people unresponsive and increased the risk for cardiac problems. Dick closed his eyes as he settled into his spot against the sewer wall. He needed to stop thinking about the cold.

“Please - tell me - ‘bout the case” He stuck his hands under his armpits.

“About the case? It’s your case Goldie... You still all there in the head?”

“I think he means about the new intel I’m digging up Hood.” Barbara let out an exacerbated sigh. “Wing... are you sure? You can’t do anything else about the bombers right now, you don’t need to stress yourself out worrying about them.”

“Distract me - from c-cold.” Dick was aware the bombers should not be a concern for him right now, but he couldn’t help thinking about his city. A place he had come to love so much. He hoped Batman would take over the case immediately and stop whatever they were doing. He could only hope they hadn’t gotten to the point where they were ready to set off whatever else they had left in their bag. Maybe taking out two of their guys had slowed them down or even sacred them off. It was optimistic thinking.

“Alright, it looks as though this has been in their plans since the beginning, possibly even before the drug shipment plans were in the works. I’m trying to decode their communications over the last couple weeks and I’m comparing it to other intel you gathered, and I’m starting to think the actual plans for blowing up parts of Bludhaven were never even discussed.”

“Wha-?” Dick started hacking again. It burned his lungs, and his whole chest ached from the spasms. Barbara waited from him to settle. 

“I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m willing to bet this a very old plan. A long standing one that didn’t need much communication to get going. The drug shipment might even be a mis-direct.”

“That doesn’t make sense Oracle.” Jason cut in. Dick was glad because he also had questions. There were multiple things that didn’t really seem to add up, but he couldn’t get his head to work fast enough to process those thoughts, let alone his mouth to ask about them. “Why would there even be a need for a mis-direct? If these plans have been around awhile and they’ve had nothing but smooth sailing why make fake plans that could give them away?”

“I’m not sure... but you’re right, it seems foolish. Nightwing found the rumors and plans about the drug shipment pretty easily. He was able to hack into their communication system without much trouble at all. It was all rudimentary and seemed just like entry-level drug mules trying to make it big. If this group actually is more skilled and nefarious and the drugs are really just a facade, why? It just sets them up for potential failure, they basically gave themselves away.”

Jason and Barbara sat silent at that. Dick’s wheezing seemed unbearably loud as the group considered this new confusion piece of the puzzle. It really didn’t make sense why they would so foolishly give themselves away like that. Surely it couldn’t just be a cover for just their go-ahead signal? Not when every other part of the plan was so masterfully hidden.

“Nightwing, you still awake?” Barbara broke the silence. They were all trying to think up answers for what had become one of their most confusing cases, but Dick was still clearly the main mission priority.

“Y-yeah.” Dick stuttered out. He had gone back to trying to keep his eyes open to help stay conscious. It wasn’t really pleasant with the blurry mess that he was still seeing out of his left eye. He desperately wanted to try and rub it away, but he was aware enough to to remember touching his head was a no-go. Also he felt frozen in place. Like any large movements would sap out any remaining energy he had.

“Maybe they wanted to be found?” Jason slowly suggested over the comms. “It doesn’t make sense, especially if they really want to blow up ‘Haven. So maybe they’re after something else, and they wanted to get caught here. Maybe they’re distracting all of us from some other master plan.”

“But why reveal themselves under the cover of a drug shipment if they wanted to distract us? Why not just reveal the actual plan? There is no guarantee we’d respond to just an incoming drug move, especially in this weather. That’s something that can be solved after its arrival even if it isn’t ideal. A bombing would demand our attention, it would be an assured way to distract us from whatever else they have planned.”

“True. Maybe we just have complete idiots on our hands.”

“Idiots that are basically getting away with their plans cause we’re so unprepared.”

Dick cringed. This was his mission and it had gone so far south. He was the one who had been unprepared. He was the one who had gotten himself in danger. He was the one who was distracting his family from confronting the actual problem going on.

Barbara and Jason kept talking through what they knew and theorizing about why this group was using such confusing methods. Dick listened as much as he could and grunted or spoke as he was able when they would stop to make sure he was still functioning on some level. Everything was getting slower though. It was as though the world around him and his family’s voice were swimming through molasses.

He kept trying to focus in on the words they were using. He picked up on things here and there, but it was getting harder and harder to concentrate. He also realized he wasn’t really cold anymore. Somewhere in his head he knew that was problematic. He tried to ask Barbara how much longer before Bruce and Tim got to him, but he wasn’t even able to open his mouth.

He was loosing consciousness again. This time it was slow though. Almost every other time had happened quickly; he hadn’t even been aware of most of them until he woke back up. Now though he could feel himself fading out. It felt nice. Like he wasn’t going to have to worry about anything. He wasn’t sure what his family had been discussing anymore, but it was nice hearing their voices as he drifted off. Dick was sure this would be one of the best nights of sleep he had ever gotten.

••••••••••

Something was being placed on his shoulders. It was nice. Dick felt whatever it was tightly wrapped around the rest of him. It brought a small sense of warmth, like a seat after someone has sat in it for awhile before taking their place. It felt used but warmed just for him.

Dick pictured Alfred tucking him in after he passed out on the couch in the Manor after a particularly long week. He used to warm up some of the old Wayne quilts in the dryer for him, it always reminded Dick of how his mother would warm up his pajamas by the circus fire before bed during the colder nights. He loved those nights, and he loved Alfred for always making an effort to keep those memories alive.

Someone was tucking his hands back under his arms and tightly wrapping them in place. Dick tried to make sense of that. It seemed like a strange thing for Alfred to do. It was probably about time for him to get up anyway, so it didn’t really matter. Get up. That thought struck Dick as odd, like it was going to be some impossible feat.

He realized how limp and absent he felt. He wasn’t sure he could move and wasn’t even sure if he had woken up all the way yet. Something was off. He felt hands grabbing at him and moving him around, but that didn’t make sense either. Finger were jabbed into his neck and someone was patting his cheek, he tried to grunt in response but he wasn’t sure if the sound even made it to his mouth. It seemed to satisfy the hands though, they stopped poking at him as much.

He couldn’t wake up. Or at least not anymore than he was currently. He told his body to move and his eyes to open, but nothing really responded. Dick tried to process what was going on. He felt like he knew but the memories were blocked off by this haze he felt all over.

Suddenly Dick gasped and jerked. Something freezing was placed on his neck and by his armpits where his hands were tucked. It hurt so much and he wasn’t sure why it was so cold. The small ice cubes were stuffed under the wrap around his torso too, he hadn’t even had time to adjust to the first ones before they were added.

Dick wanted to cry out so someone could remove them, but he couldn’t. They just kept placing more against his body. They were sending shivers through his body, like small needles picking at his nerves. They were too cold! He wanted to squirm to dislodge them, but he didn’t have the energy.

He shouldn’t have woken back up. This was clearly worse than enjoying sleep in oblivion. Dick willed himself to give in to the exhaustion, to pass out, or anything other than this. He couldn’t. He was stuck in this in between of not fully awake yet unable to sleep. He needed to relax, to focus on breathing and figuring out what was going on. He calmed himself and tried his best to ignore the ice that almost seemed to burn with how cold they were against his body.

He could hear something, mumblings. There were voices around him he was sure, but they sounded so distant and watered down. It must be this haze he was stuck in blocking out the sounds. Dick tried to focus, he was sure they could give him a clue as to what was happening.

There were two different types of noises. The mumblings around him really just sounded distant and far away, but Dick was sure it was the voices that belonged to the hands that tortured him. There were other voices too. They sounded like whispers in his ear; they were louder and more harsh. Dick felt like those would be the easier words to make out, they felt closer. So, he focused on trying to turn the noises into words. Anything to help him understand his predicament.

“...Nightwing...” His name! Maybe that meant they were friendly. He strained to hear more, but he was still having difficulty recognizing words. The voices were sounding more familiar though. They felt safe even though the tones and sounds came across as angry and stressed. He was sure he could place the voice though... Jason. He was sure of it. The deep scratchy voice of his brother was always recognizable, but it sounded like he was using his Red Hood voice. It felt more authoritative and angry, he must be on a job.

It all came back. Dick stopped tying to listen as it hit him. He was in the sewers, on a case. That’s why Jason was speaking directly into his ear as his hero persona. Dick was down. He had gotten himself blown up and compromised. The bad guys were still out there, and Dick was living in a half-conscious state trying to recognize his own family’s voices.

He was being jostled again. The hands were pulling at him and felt like he was being dragged away from the wall he had been propped up against. The packs didn’t feel so bad anymore, and Dick realized they probably weren’t ever cold. He was hypothermic. Someone was trying to warm him up and his brain and body couldn’t process it. He couldn’t tell the different between heat pads and ice packs.

Dick fully relaxed. The hands must belong to his family, Bruce and Tim had found him. He’d be okay. He wanted to say something, let them know he was still here and doing okay. Well as okay as he could be. His mouth was still not working though, so he tried to focus back on listening.

He could kind of make out Barbara’s voice, but she wasn’t talking as much as Jason. She seemed quiet and unfocused on whatever had Jason riled up. He kept saying Dick’s name over and over again. They were probably trying to rouse him fully, or get some type of sign of response.

Bruce and Tim had lifted him up. Dick wasn’t sure how, he couldn’t really tell what they were doing. It felt like both of them were trying to carry him, but he must be too heavy cause it didn’t take long for them to set him back down, roughly too. It almost seemed like they kinda dropped him. Dick felt like it should’ve hurt, hitting the ground like that, but it didn’t. His family tried carrying him a couple other ways, but each one seemed too difficult and they’d drop him again before long. Dick wanted to help, but his body was still unresponsive to his command. He was it was getting better though, he didn’t realize how numb he was until feeling had started slowly creeping back.

Finally someone just grabbed him under his arms and started dragging him across the sewer floor. This struck Dick as odd. Actually the whole thing seemed off. Bruce usually would just pick him up on his own, he was strong enough even with how much bigger Dick had gotten over the years. Bruce could probably even lift Jason if the need ever arose. Dick never wanted B to pick him up, he was always worried it would put strain on Bruce’s already achey back.

That was what seemed off to Dick though. Even though he was known to argue with Bruce if he ever tried picking him up, he would always ignore Dick and insist if needed. There were plenty of times Dick had gotten injured on a case and walking was difficult, and it was always a fight between the two of them. So, Dick wasn’t sure why Bruce didn’t insist on it right now, Dick wasn’t functioning enough to argue with him about it.

Dick was starting to worry again. Maybe that meant his guardian was injured. It was the only explanation that made sense. Dick wasn’t sure why Batman would be hurt though, unless... _what if the rest of the bombs had already gone off?_ Maybe the group had gotten the rest in place and had set them all off before his family had gotten here. Dick must have been unconscious for the whole thing.

His poor city was probably in shambles. Falling apart at the seams during one of the worst snow storms in its history, and Dick was basically a limp noodle stuck underground. Completely useless and unable to do his job when they needed him the most. All he could do was process the the small victories of his body reacting to the warmth and feeling slowly coming back. Which actually wasn’t even all that pleasant.

As the heat from the packs and the blanket that held them in place seeped into his body, his nerves reacted with needles of pain as they turned back on. He also was slowly becoming aware of more things that were wrong with him. The heaviness in his chest and the difficulty breathing reminding him how bad off he was before he descending into numbing oblivion. The pounding in his head was coming back as another unwelcome addition. At least he was more aware though.

He could hear more of his family too. Their words were starting to make more sense. Bruce and Tim were still hard to hear through the thick fog in his head and the near constant chatter from Jason and Babs in his ear. They were talking though. Babs and Jason were trying to get him to wake up. They were urgent about it, and Babs kept disappearing to talk on another line. Dick couldn’t really place why they were so worried though. It must be because the bombs had all gone off, but Dick wished they would put more of their time trying to solve that problem rather then trying to wake him. He didn’t need help anymore, Bruce and Tim were with him.

“...almost there...” A grunt cut through his thoughts. It was the voice dragging him. Finally Dick was able to hear more of their words. It was deep, gravely voice. Must be Bruce. He sounded as though he had inhaled a lot of smoke or something. That would make sense, if the bombs went off. It would also explain why he didn’t have the strength just to carry Dick bridal-style like he normally would.

Hopefully Bruce and Tim weren’t too injured. He didn’t want to add his family to the growing list of guilt he was feeling. His whole city was enough to to weigh heavy on his shoulders.

“...please Wing...B and Red...just a little longer...coming...wake up...” Jason’s voice cut through again. It sounded like he was begging. Pleading with Dick to hold on, but Dick only caught some of it so he wasn’t sure. It seemed off suddenly. Dick hadn’t been able to respond and he was sure that was worrisome to his family, but he was okay. He could feel the little bits of warmth coming back to him, and Dick was sure his vitals should be improving somewhat. He wasn’t on the brink of death, he could hold on until they got him home. So why did Jay sound so worried?

“...not worth it...” This was a new voice. It was also lower and had a sort of gruffness to it, but it wasn’t Bruce. At least it sounded different than the voice that was still dragging him. Tim? No, there was no way, unless Tim had hit a sudden growth spurt between the time it took to leave Gotham and search through the Bludhaven sewers. Dick listened harder to the voice. Definitely not Tim, he would have also had a life-time of smoking problems Dick wasn’t aware of.

Dick wondered who it could be then if not Tim. Maybe someone else had come to help Bruce. Tim could be handling the bomb problem. That could make sense that they split up to cover more ground, but Dick couldn’t place this other voice. He felt like it was familiar though, so he must know the guy. Maybe another hero? Jason’s spoke again, and this time Dick understood what he was saying,

“B and Red are so close Wing, they’re coming! Hold on!” Dick chilled, and it wasn’t because of the hypothermia. He wasn’t being rescued. He was being kidnapped. The other bombers had found him.

••••••••••


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back! So sorry for the delay. I had some family emergencies that put a lot of things on the back burner, and I forgot I had this particular burner on. 
> 
> The final chapter is here though! I was originally going to spit it in to two but I felt bad after waiting so long to post. Especially after reading all of your amazing comments! So, I just decided just to give you guys all of it. Hope you enjoy!

Dick was angry. The remaining members of the bomb group had been dragging him through the sewers for what seemed like forever now. He was exhausted, and having to stay alert was just pushing him further and further past his limits. Dick was growing more irritated at his family’s voices in his ear, at the movement of being dragged across the ground, and at the awful needle-like prickles of his body trying to make its way back from the numbness.

He was stuck in a half awake plane of existence, and he wanted out. Everything inside of him screamed to let go, to sleep. His bat-sense had other ideas though. He knew that danger was all around him. So, his system was dealing in adrenaline, doing anything to keep him alert. Every little jerk and bump made his heart flutter and his blood boil back up with readiness. He was barely maintaining this small version of his body’s fight-or-flight, but it was still there trying to keep him awake.

In other situations he would probably be thankful for the routine and training that his body knew as second nature, but his head hurt and all Dick knew was anger. His emotions felt like a flood of water engulfing him, waves crashed over him bringing new thoughts and feelings every second that added to the tension and confusion of his situation. He felt raging anger one moment, then sadness and desperation the next.

Jason and Barbara were trying to talk him through everything still. Their voices made false promises and helpless encouragements. They were an irritation, maintaining a ridiculous ruse when Dick was sure they had better things to do with their time than talk his ear off. He loathed their presence and wished for silence. Their voices were probably the only thing that kept him from being able to drift off; what thoughtless siblings and uncaring friends he had. They only cared about themselves, not his need for peace - for sleep.

His thoughts wondered back to how his night had gone. Barbara had left him stranded, completely abandoning him during a mission. His brothers were useless, they couldn’t even help him diffuse a bomb correctly. Bruce had showed up just to order him around, how typical. And his youngest brother hadn’t even cared to make an appearance. Dick fumed as he realized they never cared about him, only the job. He meant nothing to them.

He let the rage boil unchecked. He deserved a chance to get angry. He always held it in for his family. They got to snap at the smallest little things, but he always had to be the one to hold it together. All he needed was their help on this one case. They weren’t even doing anything else tonight, and yet their selfish laziness had gotten him here. To a place where he couldn’t even sleep. It was his turn to be mad for once. He was going to open the flood gates and let them have it. Words poured into the forefront of his mind, all the things he ever wanted to say but held in came in full force. A whole army of colorful language started to make its way to his mouth. He didn’t want to contain it. He let lose.

A groan barely escaped his lips, no words. Well, it actually sounded more like a whimper, and part of Dick wondering if there was even a sound at all. He couldn’t tell if his mouth even opened.

“B and Red found your tracks. They’re hot on your trail.... keep holding on Big Bird.” Jason’s voice cut back into his thoughts. He felt disrupted again. _What was I thinking about?_ His mind was overwhelmed with heaviness, with something he couldn’t quite remember. He was sure he had just been thinking of something... something that felt loud and consuming. Hopefully it wasn’t important, cause it had all disappeared with just a moment of interruption.

Dick tried to focus on his surroundings again. He didn’t want to open his eyes, so instead he settled on getting lost in the white noise of his body being dragged across the sewer ground. He could hear the group wheezing from his weight as they pulled him. They were working so hard and in such awful conditions, but for what reason? Surely not just to get him to safety?

They whole case was absurd, nothing made sense and Dick didn’t really care. He let the heavy breathing of the man pulling him lull him. He tried to match his own breathing to the rhythm, but his was so off and his lungs rattled with every inhale. He hoped it could still help his body relax somewhat, let him finally go into the deep, unknowing sleep he craved.

“Wing, don’t worry. I’m still working the case, they won’t get away with this.” Babs voice interrupted him now. She sounded absent. Like she wasn’t really paying attention to what she was saying. It sounded like one of her autopilot phrases when she’s busy focusing in on her work. That was good. She shouldn’t spend time worrying about him. She probably had better things to do.

“Oracle, I can’t find anything else. This back wire communication is a dead end. I think the trail Goldie dug up was it.” Jay was working the Babs. At least that’s what it sounded like. Dick’s heart swelled with pride. Two of his favorite people were working together. Jason hadn’t even been gruff or angry about it. He sound like he did back when he was little and before his death - honest, focused, and caring.

Jason had been doing so much better lately. He was still easily set off, but that was true even when he was young. He was hanging out with the family more and ignoring them less. It made Dick happy to think about how far he had come to make his was back. Dick had been pretty sure that a lot of Jay’s last hold outs against Bruce and the family were really just him trying to save face and not lose the fierce persona he had built. Either way Dick liked to think he had finally gotten his brother all the way back.

He wasn’t moving anymore. He was too caught up in his feelings of brotherly pride listening to Jason and Babs talk to each that he stopped paying attention to everything else. Dick hadn’t even realized they had stopped, not until the men had started talking loudly over him again. They hadn’t said much this whole time, but Dick must have been out of it again, because clearly he had missed some of their conversation.

“Yeah, I can still feel a pulse and hear his breathing.” He recognized the voice. It was the bag guy who set the first bomb. He was right on top of Dick, breathing heavily in his face. Dick hadn’t even realized they were checking his pulse, he couldn’t feel the guy’s fingers at all but he could feel his breath against his forehead. “His skin looks gross here, what’s that about?”

“Just leave it, as long as he’s alive we’re fine. They didn’t ask for him to be perfectly healthy or nothin’ like that.” It was the man who had been dragging him who responded. That gruff voice sounded nothing like Batman now that Dick was functioning a bit better mentally. At least he hoped he was functioning better. He wasn’t sure how he could have confused the two men earlier. “The pick up should be here soon, so we just need to make sure his heart is beating until then. After that it doesn’t matter, won’t be our problem anymore.”

“B, did you hear that? A pick up?” Babs sounded stressed.

“I heard. We’re closing in.” Somewhere in the back of his mind Dick wondered how long Bruce had been there.

The men around him had stopped talking. Dick laid still while his lungs noisily heaved oxygen in and out. He wasn’t really sure what they were doing now or who they were waiting on, but now that they had stopped moving him around he felt a little better. He didn’t realize how miserable it was to be dragged around while concussed, hypothermic, and what ever else was going on. His brain had started to tell him it was normal, and the numbness must have helped mask the pain.

Now that they were still though, he felt his body start to relax more. He was aware the men were still around him, but he wasn’t sure if they were watching him or not. He contemplated trying to move. He still couldn’t really feel his limbs, but he was sure he was a little less cold than he had been. He was pretty sure the men had wrapped a couple coats around him or something, and it seemed as though the minimal body temperature he had left was being kept in a bit better.

Dick figured if they thought he was just barely alive they probably weren’t paying that much attention to him. Even trying a small movement could be helpful. Dick concentrated on wiggling his fingers. He got nothing. Well, he actually couldn’t tell if they moved or not, either way he already felt worn out from trying which wasn’t helpful. He tried to shift his shoulder instead...

_Success!_ His shoulder moved slightly, and he ended up rolling more onto his back without meaning to. He hadn’t even been aware he was propped up on his side a bit. Still, it felt good to have been in charge of something that was going on, even if it was only for a second.

“Hey, what are you doing?” The guy who had dragged him said suddenly. Dick froze. _Heh! I froze... I’ll have to tell Tim that one later._ They must have seen him move. Dick wanted to hold his breath, but his lungs really weren’t listening to him anymore. They just kept on doing their own raspy thing.

“Looking for something to burn. It’s freezing down here sitting still.” The third guy who hadn’t said much this whole trip responded. He sounded young, and less like he had spent a lifetime smoking.

“In my bag?”

“You have some fabric in here; I bet I can burn for a bit.” He didn’t get a response, which Dick figured meant the other guy didn’t care. They didn’t continue talking, so Dick wasn’t really sure what they were doing anymore. He didn’t really have the energy to open his eyes to take in what was going on, but his head kept telling him to.

Jason and Barbara were still talking in his ear, and it sounded like Bruce and Tim had finally joined them. They were being reassuring, but really Dick wasn’t sure if they’d make it on time to help him. He needed to open his eyes and look around so he could figure out a way out of this situation himself. The shoulder thing had worked... maybe if he just slowly roll away.

Dick imagined himself all wrapped up rolling down the sewer and smiled. _The great Nightwing’s daring escape! Never before seen! One night only!_ Man, he was losing it. He tried to shift his shoulder again... nothing happened. He was already flat on his back, so he wasn’t sure what he had expected. Yeah, definitely losing it.

Suddenly, he was grabbed. One of the men had gripped him under his arms. Dick worried they had figured out his escape plan. They were dragging him across the ground again. His heart picked up again. It was too late, they were taking him away. Dick felt hopelessness fill his body, and the entire night’s anxiousness was all consuming. His family didn’t make it in time. There would be no way to find him now. He had no idea where they were taking him, so how would his anyone be able to follow? He wished he could get his mouth to work so he could at least say his goodbyes. If this was it he didn’t want his family to feel any guilt. It was his mission that went wrong, not theirs.

He was roughly flung back onto the ground. It hurt. The men were less graceful about it this time, and his head slammed hard against the cement. Nausea immediately worked it’s way back into his stomach. The cloud of oblivion Dick had been living in left him as he hit, and blinding pain replaced it. Everything was white and hot again. His breathing had hitched as he waited for the pain to subside, but it took it’s time. The numbness he had begun to except melted away, and he was reminded just how bad off his body was.

He lost it all again. That’s what pain can do; it demands attention and takes indiscriminately. He knew he had had most of his memories rattling around in his head earlier, but they left him. They were ripped from him once again. Dick felt like they should still be in there somewhere, but it was all just past his reach. He didn’t really care. They were fine wherever they were, cause all he needed to do was to stop hurting and to get out of whatever was wrapped around him so tightly.

Dick wasn’t aware that he had just been dragged across the sewer ground again, and he had forgotten about the men that waited around him. But he could tell something had changed from whatever present he had been living in. As his head and stomach settled back down somewhat, he realized there was a burning heat near his face. _Why is it so hot?_ It quickly became the new source of pain. He wanted to squirm away. He didn’t need the heat, he was already so warm. He needed to move and he really needed some of these layers to come off, they weren’t necessary anymore. He was too hot. He was going to burn to death.

Dick squirmed as much as he could, but he couldn’t move his arms and his legs were barely responding. He didn’t get it. He needed to take off some of his clothes, but something was keeping him from it. Nothing was making sense, and he needed to find out what was happening.

Dick opened his eyes.

Fire licked up right in front of his face. He tried to focus his eyes, but the whole thing was bright and blurry. Dick could tell it was some pile of clothing burning away, but that was it. It smelled horrible, but he didn’t care. He cared that someone had put him so unnecessarily close to it. Didn’t they realize he was already too hot? He tried to look around to see what idiot was trying to roast him alive. Instead his vision landed on a bag by his legs.

At least he was pretty sure it was a bag. Something was wrong with his vision. But that bag was somehow important. Dick wasn’t sure why, but he lingered on it with the half of his sight that seemed to still work. He was pretty sure he needed the bag for some reason. His gut told him he wanted it, desperately.

He closed his eyes again as the nausea rushed through his body again. The bag would have to wait; he’d figure it all out later. For now he needed to sleep and maybe get away from the heat if possible. He just needed to tune out all the noise happening in his head and then he’d be able to take just a short power nap. He’d deal with everything else after he wakes up. 

The noise had gotten a lot louder. Familiar voices were talking quickly in his ear, telling him something... There were other noises happening too. Shouting. It sounded like there were people all around him. They were moving around by the sound of it. Their voices echoed around him and kept getting louder and louder. It was too much. Dick didn’t want to hear all of it, all he asked for was sleep.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder and rolled him away from the fire and back onto his back. Dick was grateful, the fire had probably already burned half his face off at this point. It was a shame, his face was one of his best features. He let his eyes drift back open as a hand settled on his neck.

“Wing. Hey. We’re here, we got you.” It was Tim. He was breathless and frantic, but there he was. Man, did Dick love Tim. He was so good and always so helpful. He moved away the hot fire just like Dick needed him too, and now he was sure his brother would help him get out of his clothes too if he asked. He was so hot.

Tim looked serious behind his cowl. Or maybe that was worry? His brother was looking straight into his eyes, but Dick felt like he couldn’t focus in return. He kept drifting down to look at the bag at his legs instead. _Good, it’s still there._ That bag was important for some reason.

His brother was moving him around again. He was messing with the tight wrappings around him. Tim took out a knife and was sawing at his clothes. Dick didn’t think that made any sense, couldn’t he just un-zip him? A rope fell away and Dick’s arms dropped. He wasn’t sure how the rope got there, but he could feel his hands shift out from under his arms and he suddenly felt like he had some control again. Before Dick could make sense of any of it, Tim was tucking his hands back under his armpits and laying a blanket on top of him.

Dick wasn’t sure where his brother got it from, but rage built up inside him once he saw it. He started squirming trying to kick it off. He didn’t want it! Couldn’t Tim see he was on fire? Every part of his body was warm enough.

“Wing, stop. Hey, you’re going to be okay. Stop moving.” Tim was tucking the blanket around him still. Tim didn’t get it. Fear built up in Dick. His own brother didn’t know he was burning alive. He needed to tell him somehow. He tried to fidget more. His mouth wasn’t working, but now that his arms were looser he could somewhat put them to use. “D, please calm down. We got you. I need you to try and relax.”

Tim looked stressed. He pressed his hands against Dick’s shoulders to hold him down. Dick let his eyes close again in frustration. He was going to have to fight his brother to make him understand. It would be so unfair. Tim’s Red Robin never could beat his Nightwing in a dual. Dick wished it hadn’t come to this.

“RED!” Bruce’s voice yelled out in a panic just as a loud bang echoed all around Dick. He stilled. That was a gun. Then two more rounds rang out not far behind the first. There was more yelling, but Dick didn’t dare move. When Batman yelled like that, Dick knew someone was in trouble. Batman was angry.

Tim wasn’t holding him down anymore. Dick didn’t realize he had left, but when he opened his eyes again his brother was clearly not looming over him anymore. He tried to look around to see where Tim had run off too, but his eyes immediately locked onto the bag instead. He needed to get his hands on that bag, but why?

Bombs. His memories were leaking past the pain again. His family must be fighting. That would explain the yelling and the grunts of fists hitting their mark. Dick’s body was out of adrenaline. It was long past spent, but his bat-sense roared back to life as he looked at the bag. He needed to help. Someone needed to keep that bag out of the wrong hands and protect his city. Who else would do it but him, it was his job.

Dick focused and made a reach for the bag. It was in arm’s reach, but his arm wasn’t working right. It felt like a dead weight as he tried to wiggle it out from beneath Tim’s stupid blanket. It was hard work, and his lungs screamed at him for expending the energy. He was so close though. He could still save his ‘Haven. If he could just get that bag...

Someone stepped on him. Well, someone tripped on him would be a better explanation. Dick was barely aware it happened, but there the guys was. He had fallen right on top of Dick’s arm with his legs sprawled across Dick’s torso. Dick wasn’t startled. He was still trying to make sense of how the man got there as the guy scrambled up to try and get away. He was running. That must be what he was trying to do at least, running from the Batman. He hurried to his hands and knees and looked back at what he had fallen on. His eyes locked on to Dick’s, then darted to the bag, and then back to Dick.

“Sorry birdie. You might be a lost profit but these explosives could still make me a hefty sum.” The man reached for the bag, and panic surged up inside Dick. That was his bag! All of tonight’s pain would be worth nothing if he lost that bag. He had to protect the city.

His body roared to life and he lunged to his side to get closer to the bag. It wasn’t much but his hand was able to wrap around one of the straps. He had it. Dick kept a death grip on it as the man started out at a run again. The guy hadn’t realized Dick was holding on to it though, and quickly came to a halt. He looked back and yanked hard once he saw Dick’s hold. He tried to shake him off, but only succeeded on pulling Dick across the ground.

“You little...” The guy reached down and grabbed him by the collar. Dick wasn’t sure what the coward was doing, but suddenly Dick was sitting up with the guy right in his face. The man hissed something at Dick, but he wasn’t sure what because at the same time someone else yelled. The scream made the guy glance up. Fear filled his eyes.

The guy looked back at Dick and then off to his left. Whatever he saw there made him smirk. In one swift motion the guy stood, bringing Dick up with him. Then, with a grunt, the man tossed Dick off to the left with a forceful push. Dick felt the man pull at the bag again, and with all he had Dick tightened his grip.

Dick wasn’t really sure what the guy’s plan was, but he clearly was not expecting him to keep holding onto the bag. Instead of turning gracefully away and setting out at a run with the bombs in hand, Dick’s tight grip pulled the man off balance. He went down with the ‘birdie’ he had thrown to the side, and both of them fell right through the thin layer of ice right into the cold sewer water below.

••••••••••

The world blurred. Dick couldn’t feel anything cold or wet, but he was sure he was under water. There was a loud rushing noise in his ears, like a river was trying to pound through his skull and into his head. He couldn’t breath, but he also didn’t really care to try. He felt distanced from the rest of his body. While his head screamed the rest of him was eerily quiet. Dick wasn’t even sure his body was still there. He felt weightless and white, like he was slowly disappearing and just fading away from the world.

Suddenly everything switched. His body rushed back to him like a brush fire; it was hot and all consuming. His limbs felt stiff and burnt, like logs turning to ash in the flames. His head was a different fire. It was a sticky heat. His brain felt muggy and and heavy in it, bogged down in the pain. There was a haze from the smoke all around him, it covered everything. Dick tried to look past it, but blurry shapes danced above him indistinguishably. Lights and colors shifted around, but the longer he stared the less they made sense.

His body screamed, roaring up in protest at something. Dick wasn’t sure what, couldn’t think past the excruciating heat that lit up all his nerve endings. Someone could have touched him or stabbed him and he wasn’t sure he’d have known the difference. He felt nothing and everything all at once. He stared at the shapes around him as they moved about. The lights kept changing, shadows and figures flowed through his vision and then everything turned bright. It was all white. It was as bright as the sun, and the shadows and shapes were eaten away by it. For a second Dick wondered what the light was, but before his thought could even be fully formed it too was eaten away into non-existence.

The scene changed. The sun was gone and the shadows were back, colors were muted and blurred into each other like before. One shape swirled into the next as the pain ate him away into nothing. There was a face. It was worried. Dick kept starring into it, he was sure it was a face but he couldn’t place it. It felt familiar and safe though even with the hazy features. He closed his eyes.

••••••••••

He was shaking. It didn’t make sense. Dick was sure he had been thrown into a flame and burnt alive, so this cold didn’t add up. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but the hazy darkness was yielding away to the cold and he was waking up. His whole body shivered uncontrollably and he needed it to stop. Each movement was a dagger straight into his head, yelling at him louder and louder each time. He needed more warmth, he didn’t want to wake up.

Dick open his eyes, but he couldn’t move. He feared any movement would let more cold in and he’d freeze. There was something hot next to him, a furnace. It wasn’t enough though, he needed more. He needed to stop shaking. He needed help.

“Dick? Are you with us?” The furnace shifted away. Dick tried to cry out to tell it to come back, but only a small whimper escaped his lips.

“Hey Chum,” it was a different voice. It put a hand against his head, it was so warm. “You’re safe. We’re getting you stable and then we’ll move you to the Manor okay? Just rest, we got you.” Dick closed his eyes. The furnace moved in close and the hand stayed against his head. It wasn’t much and it didn’t stop the cold, but Dick fell back into oblivion anyway.

••••••••••

“Hey idiot. You actually awake this time?” Dick groaned. Everything hurt and the exhaustion was unlike anything he had experienced before. Even the time he stayed up for four days straight after one of the Arkham breakouts didn’t feel this bad. He opened his eyes.

He was in his room, his old room. He wasn’t sure how he had gotten here, but the lights were dimmed and the curtains were closed. He could tell it must be late morning by the light that crept in around the fabric, but he was glad someone had left the room pretty dark. His headache felt like it was on the prefaces of a full blown war, so even the little light that did fill the room hurt.

He looked over to the voice that brought him the rest of the way into consciousness. It was Jason. He was lounging in one of Dick’s old reading chairs with his feet up on his bed. He must have dragged the chair away from its spot by the windows. Jason was wearing pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt, and he had a book folded in his lap. It was out of character, Jason rarely relaxed in the Manor. He was starring at Dick, watching him closely.

Dick tried to shift as he grunted in response to his brother. He could feel an IV in the crook of his arm and he let his eyes follow Jason’s as he quickly glanced up to the portable monitor Alfred kept on hand. His brother was watching his vitals. Once he was satisfied he looked back to Dick.

“You think you can drink something?” Dick’s stomach immediately flipped in protest. Clearly he needed to though, his mouth was dry as a desert and he felt empty inside. He must have been out for a bit. Everything was still hazy, but he figured his family had finally made it and saved him from his failed Nightwing activity. If he was all the way back in the Manor and if Jason was here it must have been a really bad end.

He nodded his head slightly and tried to ignore the dizziness that followed. As his brother got up and walked across the room, Dick let his eyes close and tried to organize what he knew.

His head was mush. It pounded fiercely with every breath, and moving sparked a different type of pain. One of a more ‘stabby’ nature. His body was heavy from exhaustion and he felt chilled to the bone. He was covered with thick blankets and he could feel sweat dripping down his skin, but still the cold persisted. His lungs and chest ached. He must have been coughing horribly earlier for this type of sore pain. He couldn’t get a full breath in and his throat ached in red.

Dick wasn’t sure how the night had ended. He remembered Babs making a reappearance at some point, and after that everything was muddled. He wanted to say the rest of his wanna-be-terrorist group had showed up at some point, but really he didn’t trust his head and memories when they felt like a nuclear fallout.

Jason walked back over to the bed with a small pitcher. He set it down by Dick’s nightstand and then sat back down in the armchair with a glass in hand. His brother looked tired. He must have been up all night. He was quiet and wasn’t making any moves to hand the glass over. Dick wasn’t sure what he was waiting for, so he tried to break the silence.

“What happen’?” His words slurred out of his mouth harshly. He wasn’t expecting that. Each syllable made him feel woozy in the head, and they words didn’t feel right in his mouth. They irritated his throat and made him choke, desperate for a deep breath. His sore muscles constricted and suddenly Dick was violently coughing.

Jason jumped back up and helped him roll on to his side to ease the pain. His chest was on fire. He couldn’t breath. Dick wanted to panic, but the fit was over before he could. He tried to slowly take some deeper breaths, but he could only get so much air.

“Dang that sucked.” He wheezed out.

“So, you’re actually awake this time?” Jason asked as he propped up some pillows behind Dick and helped him sit up. Dick just nodded his head as he tried to focus and breathing. He didn’t want to feel what he just been through again. He wasn’t sure what Jason had meant, but luckily his brother seemed satisfied with his small nod and kept talking.

“Well you better be, cause I’m not going to catch you up on everything twice. You’re not worth that kind of time.” Jay grabbed the water again and handed it to Dick. His arms were a little shaky from the coughing fit, but he was able to bring the straw up to his lips and take some small sips. It felt delicious against his dry mouth.

“You’ve been in and out for the past two days. Not really sure if it’s cause of your raging fever from the lung infection you’ve got going on or from the pretty serious concussion you gave yourself. Either way you’ve been acting like a lazy bum and haven’t been able to stay awake for nothing.” Jay sat back in his chairs and kicked his feet back up, relaxing as he filled Dick in.

“Basically you were an idiot and got yourself blown up, then you took some martyr-wanna-be swan dive into icy sewer water during one of the coldest days in Bludhaven history. All for a bag of bombs. Which we had to try and pry from your death grip and frost bitten hands by the way. Bruce ended up cutting the strap you were holding cause you wouldn’t let go.”

Dick glanced at his hands. He hadn’t noticed before but they were wrapped up. He could feel a similar wrapping around his neck too, and the skin underneath both felt raw and numbed. Some form of frost bite he guessed.

“Basically Bruce had to fish you out along with one of the junkies who went down with you, and then they rushed you back to your place until they were sure you weren’t going to die. Took about a day before they felt confident enough to to get you back here. The roads weren’t cleared yet, so there was no way for Alfred or Leslie to get to ‘Haven to check on you.”

Jason grabbed the pitcher on the nightstand and took a big swig in between sentences, straight from the pitcher. Alfred would be furious.

“Once they got you warmed back up to a normal temperature you spiked a fever. They got you here around that time and Leslie put you on some pretty powerful stuff after checking you out. We haven’t been able to break it, but it looks like it’s finally gone down some. Doc said your head will be fine too. It’ll be awhile before you’re doing much of anything though with that concussion.”

Dick was still confused. This list of his injuries was helpful, all the pain made sense now. He wanted to know what had happened to the group. Had they been captured? Had his family been able to figure out what they were doing? He wasn’t even sure if his city was actually safe or not.

“Wha-“ his lungs hitched and he shut his eyes quickly trying to settle the building cough and the wooziness. He took another slow breath, “the bombs?”

“I don’t know, it’s wild. A weird case Goldie. Barbara is headed over today though. A lot of the roads here are finally getting cleared, so she’s coming to try and help us figure out what in the world happened. We’ve been trying to piece everything together and do some more digging, so we’re going to compile all our notes and tie up the loose ends once she gets here. Maybe you can join us if you’re feeling up to it.” Jason shot him a look, “Well, maybe, if you can get on Alfred’s good side before then. He’s got a growing list of sins you’ve committed. Starting with not using your heavy thermal suit and ending in the fact that you basically had no food at your apartment during the snowstorm of the century. It was Bruce who tattled, so don’t look at me when you get chewed out later.”

Dick groaned. Alfred was going to be so ticked off. He had already forgotten how he was basically out of the necessary survival gear for his civilian life, and if Bruce and Tim had to camp out at his place for a whole day there were definitely going to conversations about it. Jay seemed pleased with himself and picked his book back up. Dick was about to try and get out another question when the bedroom door opened and Tim strolled in.

“Alfred asked me to bring up some of his tea for when Dick is semi-conscious again, wants us to try and force some down him.” His other brother hadn’t looked up yet as he strolled in carefully watching the filled teacup as he walked towards the bed.

“He’s up nerd.” Tim glanced up. A huge smile spread across his face. Dick suddenly remembered being down in a sewer with Tim leaning over him. A gun had gone off. A delayed panic settled in his head. He should’ve been worried about his brother, but he was just now realizing what had happened. He had gone for the bombs without even knowing if his little brother had gotten hit to not. Tim looked fine though. His face was a little banged up but other than that he clearly hadn’t been shot. Dick had felt panic and relief all in one exhausting moment, and was now ready to go back to sleep.

“Dick! I’m glad you’re finally awake, how are you feeling? Alfred wants you to drink this.” Tim set the cup on the nightstand and jumped up on the bed next to him. The mattress shook with his weight and Dick closed his eyes to try and fight against the movement. “Oh, sorry.” Tim smiled apologetically, and waited for Dick to get his bearings back before he reached out and gave him a hug. “I’m sorry it took us so long to get to you, are you okay?”

“Never better Timmy. Thanks for coming, are you okay?” Dick’s voice was still raspy and used from the coughing, but he was getting the words out semi-successfully.

“We’re all okay. It was just you who took a beating... We shouldn’t have had you try and defuse the bomb. It’s my fault. I’ve been looking at the other devices you were able to get a hold of and they were all remotely charged. So, you should’ve just gone straight after all the guys for the remote instead of messing with the first bomb. I’m sorry I didn’t realize that beforehand.”

“Don’t be so stupid Replacement. Dick isn’t going to accept some dumb apology like that. We all know he wouldn’t have left the bomb either way, just look at him.” Jay gestured towards his face. “Goldie will always be an idiot, whether you’re one or not.”

“Rude. But yeah, I’m sorry. I caused you all so much-“ Dick broke off into another coughing spell. This one was worse and lasted longer. His head was spinning and by the time he finished he was completely out off breath. His brothers waited patiently for him to finish, and for him to regain his train of thought. “Trouble. What happened to the men in the sewer? I don’t really remember everything.”

“That’s okay, we’ll get Bruce and he’ll fill you inFirst though, you should have some of this.”

Tim handed him Alfred’s tea, and then jumped up to go and get Bruce. The tea smelled delicious. It was truly a staple in the Wayne house when someone was recovering. He took a slow long sip and let it soothe his raw throat.

“Thanks for being around to help me out Jaybird.” Dick said in between sips. He wanted to echo his thanks before the rest of the family came in and made his brother uncomfortable. It was now or never.

“Psh, I wasn’t hanging around for you Goldie, so you can get that idea out of your head. I was just there for the bomb diffusion, cause it’s clear none of you good-for-nothings know anything about rudimentary explosive devices. I was only hanging around until each of those crude bombs were out of play, and then I was out of there.”

“Clearly.” Jason stilled and then quickly stuck his nose back into his book. Dick smiled and went back to his tea. He wasn’t able to drink very much before his head and stomach started protesting. He handed the cup back to Jason.

He should’ve had sipped more slowly, because suddenly the tea was issuing a full on revolt. Before Dick even realized what was happening he was leaning over the side of his bed hacking it all back up. Jason at some point had managed to get a trash can under him and was awkwardly rubbing his back as he waited for Dick to finish.

Bruce and Tim had walked in at some point during the whole production. Bruce took over the comforting gestures for Jay, and, once he finished, helped get Dick propped back up.

“You okay?” Bruce asked as he sat back and took a good long look at his son. He was looking for deception in his answer, but all Dick could manage was a small thumbs up as he tried to get his breathing under control again.

“You really are a mess. Can’t believe you just threw up Alfred’s famous healing tea.” Jay picked up the trash can and walked towards the bathroom to clean up. Dick chuckled. At least this adventure was staying consistent with its themes, he was pretty sure tea was the last thing he’d thrown up too.

“Care to fill me in?” Dick tried to sit up a bit straighter and looked at Bruce.

“After we got you back you apartment, I apprehended all the men you originally accounted for from the sewer.” Bruce went straight to the point. It was something Dick loved in moments like this with his guardian, he never cut details or danced around issues when it came to filling his kids in to needed information. A true detective through and through. “They were turned over to the police after I fully questioned them. They didn’t know much”

“Batman did get everything they had out of them though. He went hard, so we know they weren’t holding anything back” Tim interjected. “He rushed back to us once he got them dealt with.”

“Barbara played a part during the interrogation, she listened in and gathered what she could to match against the original plans for that night from the resources you had gathered. We are still unsure as to the why, but we do understand their plan.”

“Okay, well that’s good. So clearly they weren’t just a drug gang trying out a new hobby, right?” Dick’s voice sounded rough, and his head was pounding as he tried to figure out what had happened. His family had let a serious tone over take them, even Jason looked grim as he strolled back into the room.

“Correct, nor were they terrorist in their intent.” Bruce answered.

“What do you mean?”

“They were after you Dick.” Jason responded as he took a seat on the chair’s arm, balancing slightly higher than the rest of the family.

“How in the world did you come to that conclusion?” He felt woozy. Dick could kinda recall being dragged through the sewers by his drug group. It was all fuzzy, but, as much as he wanted to doubt his family’s deduction, it made sense with the more jumbled memories he had floating around.

“These men were hired hands for the job. The details of the how, the reason, and even the communication network you intercepted all came from an outside source. They were just told where, when, and what to do. They weren’t even that familiar with you as Nightwing. All they had was a description that you fit.”

“The drugs and the bombs though, why all that mess? Seems like a waste of time.”

“Barbara’s and my suspicion from earlier when we were talking in the pipes turned out to be true. It was all a ruse or misdirect from their actual goal. The idiots were just a little more extreme than we thought.” Jason cut in.

“Basically their plan has been at the ready for a while. They needed you in the sewers alone, and they just needed a way to get you there. They were aware of your connections with the rest of the vigilantes in Gotham and how quick you are to call in for companionship and back up. They needed to make sure the rest of us stayed away. So they were waiting for some big scale event in Gotham to keep us occupied, and something smaller and still serious to keep you in Bludhaven. They created the drug ring ruse to keep you interested and focused. The snow storm was just a fortune happenstance for them.”

“But why the bombs? Why almost blow up a whole city?”

“The bombs were their insurance that you’d show up. Once whatever large scale event wreaked havoc in Gotham they needed to make sure you stayed behind. They plotted where you’d most likely be hunting for their fake drug ring, and then planned to set off the bombs one-by-one to bring you to the sewers.”

“Why not just plant the bomb plot from the beginning? That would’ve kept me in ‘Haven guaranteed.”

“Yeah, but that would’ve been too big of a case Dick. There’s no way one of us wouldn’t have come to the city to help out if you uncovered some plot of mass destruction. They needed to switch intensities of their scheme last minute to keep you there and all of us here. Honestly, even though it’s way over thought, it’s genius.” Everyone glared over at Tim. “Sorry.”

“Don’t go praising the enemy Replacement. They were just lucky.” Jason rolled his eyes and tried to explain a bit more. “The snowstorm was just a coincidental win for them. We think they might have been intentionally setting up some large scale disaster in Gotham too, but they didn’t need it once the storm started. They switched gears when it was obvious the rest of us would have difficulty getting to your city, so they went ahead with it all. We don’t think they expected you to already be in the sewers. They probably thought you wouldn’t head out in all that snow until one of their bombs went off.”

“So basically, I was baited?”

“Hook, line, and sinker Goldie.”

“It is concerning for sure.” Bruce weighed back it. “There are still many holes to the whole case we have yet to uncover. First, we still don’t know who’s behind it all. The men we captured never got a name. They were just told what to do and when. Also, the sewer still remains a mystery. The area they brought you to didn’t have any clear exits, but they were waiting on a pick up there and the sewer was clearly always a part of the plan.”

“Who would want me this badly though and why?” Dick was concerned. This was different than any case he’d had before. He was also stressed that he hadn’t caught any signs of their real plot beforehand. It was clearly done by someone bigger than the average street thug or gang leader if even Babs and Tim didn’t put the pieces together, but who would want to kidnap Nightwing so desperately that they didn’t mind blasting a whole city off the map?

“We don’t know yet Chum.”

“But we’re going to figure it out!” Tim was enthusiastic, but it was clear his whole family was rattled by the whole revelation. At least Dick wasn’t alone.

Jason got up and left once it was clear the conversation had come to an end. He remarked how awful Dick looked, and made his exit to who knows where. Jay was not one to sit in silence and wonder about the future. He was probably right about how Dick looked though. He suddenly felt awful again. The tea had left a sour taste in his mouth, and his lungs were still burning. He had held down the need to cough to listen as his family fully filled him in. But once Jason left he lost all control and another fit took over.

It was rough and painful and loud, and it brought up a disgusting green mucus along with it hack. Tim handed him some more water afterwards, but Dick could barely drink it. His body lurched at the mere thought. His headache was rearing back up and sleep was starting to over take him again. The small time he had spent awake had left him spent, dizzy, and woozy. Concussions don’t mess around.

“Man, demon brat is going to be ticked he was out of town for all this.” Tim chuckled under his breath.

”Tim.” Bruce gave him a warning look. His brother ducked under his gaze and gave Dick a wam smile before also heading out to let him rest. Bruce helped Dick get settled back down into his bed. He set his hand against his forehead and frowned.

“Your fever is rising again.”

“Yeah, feels like it.” Dick closed his eyes. Doting Bruce was nice, but he really didn’t have energy to care about anything anymore. His blood had been pumping while they all discussed the case, but the crash had come.

“We’ll catch them Dick. Don’t you worry. You’ve got us all by your side now.” Bruce whispered sweetly as he adjusted the blankets around him. Dick peeked his eyes back open to watch Bruce sit back in Jason’s chair and pick up the book he’d left behind. Dick relaxed and closed his eyes. Bruce was always more fatherly when if came to the topic of him and kidnappers. It was a lingering effect from all the scares they had when he was first taken in.

It had been a long time since they faced something like this. Dick knew his family would be putting in the hard man hours and long nights to figure it out. He would need to get back on it soon too, and make sure he was still heading up and leading his own case. For now though, he just needed to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end. 
> 
> Thank you guys for all the support for my first story! It really means a lot. As you can tell this is clearly not the real end. There are a lot of unknowns and some mysterious evil villain to catch. I do plan on continuing this particular story line, but also want to give myself room to try out other ideas I have too. So I guess we’ll see what comes next. :)
> 
> Thanks again!

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m definitely very new to this even though I’ve been reading fanfic for years. This is my first time writing my own, so I hope you enjoy it! I’ve written a lot more to this piece, but it’s not complete yet. I originally wanted to wait to start posting until I finished the whole thing and I had time to edit some more, but I got too excited to post my first work. 
> 
> Please feel free to give me any suggestions! I made up plenty of stuff to just work with my story line, and I wouldn’t say I’m familiar enough with canon material to make this accurate but it’s the best I’ve got for now. 
> 
> None of these characters are mine... (I feel like everyone puts a disclaimer of some sort so I hope that suffices.)
> 
> -Grae


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